Apple Halts iPhone Air 2 After Weak Sales Stall Ultra-Thin Experiment
Apple has reportedly scrapped plans to release the iPhone Air 2, the follow-up to its ultra-thin smartphone, after sluggish sales brought production to a standstill. According to The Information, the device — code-named “V62” — was set to debut in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable model, but has now been removed from the release schedule with no new date in sight.
The move follows months of disappointing sales for the iPhone Air, which was introduced as Apple’s slimmest and most durable handset. Despite its design, the model drew criticism for its single rear camera, short battery life, and weaker audio performance when compared to the company’s flagship Pro line.
Manufacturing partners Foxconn and Luxshare have already scaled back or ceased production, sources told The Information. Foxconn plans to halt all remaining production lines by the end of November, while Luxshare stopped manufacturing in October.
At its peak, the Air represented just 10% of Apple’s iPhone production capacity and that modest output still outpaced consumer demand. Data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners shows the iPhone Air made up only 3% of total iPhone sales in September, compared to 9% for the iPhone 17 Pro and 12% for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple engineers had begun early production trials for the iPhone Air 2 this summer, testing a lighter frame, larger battery, and vapor chamber cooling system. A dual-camera design was also being considered to fix one of the first model’s biggest drawbacks.
Although development work reportedly continues, insiders say the delay is a rare move for Apple at this stage and signals uncertainty about the future of the Air series. Some sources suggest a redesigned iPhone Air 2 could still emerge by spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18 lineup, but for now, the project remains grounded.
Apple declined to comment on the report.
The setback marks another miss in Apple’s ongoing attempts to find success with midrange devices, following the short-lived iPhone Mini and iPhone Plus.
