I really love my iPhone Air, but so far reporting indicates that not many users are willing to give it a chance. Rumors say there’s a new ‘iPhone Air 2’ coming next fall, however, and it could prove a bigger hit thanks to two new advantages.
#1: The entry model advantage
Multiple sources indicate that Apple has a big shake-up coming to next year’s fall iPhone lineup.
Not only is there a new foldable model coming (iPhone Ultra?), but even more significantly, for the first time there won’t be a new base model.
That’s right: the base iPhone 18 won’t launch next fall. Instead, it’s being pushed into spring 2027 so as to not overcrowd the fall lineup.
Rumors say we’ll get four new iPhones in the fall: iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the foldable.
That means iPhone Air will become the new entry model in the flagship fall lineup.
And that will undoubtedly make the Air 2 a bigger hit than its predecessor.
When all the end-of-year buzz and marketing happens for new iPhones, the cheapest brand new model available will be the iPhone Air 2.
I suspect a lot of people who upgrade to a new iPhone in the fall get the base model simply because it’s the most affordable “new” model.
Next year, that “affordable” entry option will be iPhone Air 2.
#2: Shedding ‘new model’ fears
Earlier this week I argued that the iPhone Air might be Apple’s first “early adopter” model. I wrote:
Early adopter products tend to introduce a level of risk, novelty, or compromise that can make the general consumer uncomfortable.
After the iPhone Air was first unveiled, I noticed a lot of people quickly dismissing the product. They assumed it must have terrible battery life, or would bend easily, or they couldn’t imagine losing cameras.
This year’s iPhone Air is a risk, an unknown.
I knew that when I bought it, acknowledging there was a very real chance I would end up returning it for an iPhone 17 Pro. But I didn’t.
Instead, iPhone Air has exceeded all my expectations. And everyone I know who has one loves it.
Top comment by BarelyLucid
Unless Apple changes prices, the Air will still only be $100 cheaper than the Pro. Not having the base iPhone would more likely delay purchases for budget conscious buyers.
The base iPhone typically isn’t a big seller on launch. Those who want the latest and greatest are typically after the Pro, and in theory at least, the Air. But unless they drop the Air price, or increase the Pro price, the air will likely remain a tough sell.
The base iPhone’s strength is sustained sales, that’s why they can change the launch date. The difference this year was that they doubled the base storage on the base iPhone without increasing the price. This made it the best iPhone value in years. Those buyers aren’t coming back for a new phone next year, so they likely can’t be convinced to buy an Air even if they were willing to spend more.
I think the Air can succeed, but Apple needs to review the price-feature balance. It was obvious that the Air would come in at $999, but I was really surprised both the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro weren’t priced at least $50 higher. If the Air is to succeed, either the Air needs to come down or the others go up in price. And don’t do weird stuff like give it a Pro chip but only a USB 2 port, and 1 fewer camera than the base model.
Next year’s iPhone Air will have the advantage of a year’s worth of positive word of mouth. Also, the more opportunities people have to see or hold the Air in the real world, the more appealing it becomes.
Adding to all of that, second-gen models of new Apple designs tend to come with notable improvements.
There aren’t yet any rumors around specific new features iPhone Air 2 will have. But I have no doubt Apple is paying close attention to feedback from users who passed on this year’s Air, and will seek to alleviate their concerns.
Do you expect next year’s iPhone Air 2 to perform better than what we’ve seen so far with the Air? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
- AirPods Pro 3
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