Apple's iPhone Air Experiment Fails as Supply Chain Cuts Production by 80%
iPhone Air demand failed to meet Apple's expectations and the company's supply chain is scaling back shipments and production, reports Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Suppliers are expected to reduce capacity by more than 80 percent between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued by the end of 2025.
According to Kuo, the iPhone Air's poor performance suggests that the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models already "cover the majority of high-end user demand," so there is little room for new market segments.
There have been multiple reports suggesting the iPhone Air has failed to catch on with consumers. Last week, Japan's Mizuho Securities said that Apple would reduce iPhone Air production by a million units because of underwhelming sales performance, and earlier today, Nikkei said that there is "virtually no demand" for the iPhone Air, and that Apple would "drastically" cut production.
Apple competitor Samsung is apparently seeing the same response to its super thin smartphone, the Galaxy S25 Edge. Reports suggest that Samsung canceled development of a next-generation model after disappointing sales.
Apple's standard iPhone and Pro iPhone models have consistently performed well, but it has struggled with its fourth wildcard spot in the iPhone lineup. Apple experimented with a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone mini that did not sell well, and then moved to a larger iPhone Plus that served as a more affordable version of the large-sized Pro Max. That too failed, leading Apple to try a 5.6mm build that compromised on features for a lightweight and thin design.
We could get yet another new form factor as soon as 2026, with rumors suggesting that Apple will debut a foldable iPhone as part of the iPhone 18 lineup.
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