Kuo: High Demand for iPhone 17 Models, But Questions Remain About iPhone Air

Apple's new iPhone 17 models are proving to be more popular than their predecessors over the first pre-order weekend, both in terms of production and delivery times, but major questions remain about the success of the iPhone Air, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

better iphone 17 lineup
In a new post on X, Kuo said that preorder demand for the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup has outpaced last year's iPhone 16 models. ‌iPhone 17‌, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max production for the third quarter of this year is approximately 25% higher than their predecessors last year, alongside stronger pre-order demand across all three models. The iPhone 17 Pro Max remains the most in-demand model; production is approximately 60% higher than that of the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ is the only model of the four new devices that is readily available at launch. While this superficially suggests even weaker demand than the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus saw last year, Kuo noted that production of the ‌iPhone Air‌ is set to be approximately 3x higher than that of the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus.

He added that there is no direct historical comparator for its positioning in the lineup, making it hard to assess how it will perform at this early stage. Kuo speculates that while the ‌iPhone Air‌ "doesn't look compelling on paper," the in-store hands-on experience could succeed in convincing customers to buy the device.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

darthbane2k Avatar
15 weeks ago

hopefully the Air bombs horribly, then Apple will finally realize the users want awesome battery and not some shmuck thin phone nobody asked for.
Yeh lets hope we just get thicker, heavier , unwieldy bricks forever more... /s
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kendo Avatar
15 weeks ago

hopefully the Air bombs horribly, then Apple will finally realize the users want awesome battery and not some shmuck thin phone nobody asked for.
Why can’t they do both? That’s like Toyota only coming out with a single SUV and not a sedan and minivan for people with different use cases.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F23 Avatar
15 weeks ago
I wanted the Air based on looks & color, but I think long term I would miss the features it’s lacking over the thinness.
Chose Pro for cameras, vapor chamber, battery, speakers.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stella Avatar
15 weeks ago
Air has too many compromises for its form factor.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nvunge Avatar
15 weeks ago
Once people go into store and hold the Air by themselves then it will be easier to make up their minds , im one of those people, i like the Air but need to hold for myself to then decide which one to go for.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BelgianChoklit Avatar
15 weeks ago

hopefully the Air bombs horribly, then Apple will finally realize the users want awesome battery and not some shmuck thin phone nobody asked for.
No. There are lots of people who are tired of carying around bricks. The fact you're not one of them doesn't mean they don't exist.

Also, nobody asked for an iPad, we got it and we love it. Nobody asked for MagSafe on the iPhone, we got it and we love it. That's because it's not always the consumer who comes with the ideas, the great ideas often come from other people who just have great ideas. If everything that exists had to come from people asking for it, we wouldn't have half the innovation we have ever had
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)