According to tech blogger “Digital Chat Station” on November 6th， the iPhone 18 Air (iPhone Air 2) is currently in normal iterative development. It is expected to maintain a 6.5-inch high-refresh-rate mid-size screen， feature 3D facial recognition， and retain the horizontal runway design， emphasizing an ultra-light and thin profile.
Furthermore， Apple is reportedly considering adding an additional camera to the new iPhone Air， with an evaluation underway for a dual-lens setup comprising a 48-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens.
For comparison， the current iPhone Air features a single 48-megapixel rear camera with an equivalent focal length of 26mm and lacks an ultra-wide-angle lens.
Earlier this month， the same blogger revealed that the iPhone Air’s sales performance has been disappointing， with initial sales of only over 50，000 units in its launch week.
This aligns with insights from renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo， who previously stated that iPhone Air demand fell short of expectations， prompting the supply chain to begin reducing shipments and production capacity.
Supply chain production is generally expected to be reduced by over 80% by Q1 2026， with certain components requiring longer lead times anticipated to cease production before the end of 2025.
Kuo suggested that this indicates that the existing Pro and standard models already sufficiently cover the needs of most high-end users. It is proving challenging for Apple to identify new market segments and positioning， evident from unsuccessful attempts with the mini， Plus， and now the Air variants.
Analyzing the situation， industry experts believe there are three primary factors contributing to the lukewarm reception of the iPhone Air:
Compromised Features: To achieve its ultra-light and thin design， compromises were made in battery capacity and camera specifications when compared to the base models.
eSIM Implementation Challenges: In China， eSIM activation requires an offline process， which can be cumbersome.
Awkward Positioning: The pricing falls between the iPhone 17 standard model and the Pro series， failing to offer the cost-effectiveness of the “e” series nor the flagship configurations of the Pro models.
