Apple has delayed the release of the next-generation iPhone Air after disappointing sales of the ultra-thin smartphone prompted production lines to grind to a halt, according to The Information.
The follow-up model — internally known as “V62” — had been slated to debut in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
But Apple has now pulled it off the release schedule without setting a new date, The Information reported Monday, citing three people involved in the project.
The decision is the latest sign that Apple’s effort to expand beyond its flagship iPhone lineup is faltering.
The iPhone Air was touted as the company’s thinnest and most durable handset yet when it launched in September, but reviewers and consumers criticized its single-camera setup, short battery life and weaker speakers compared with the Pro models.
Manufacturing partners Foxconn and Luxshare have already stopped or drastically reduced production of the current iPhone Air.
Foxconn has dismantled all but one and a half of its production lines and plans to halt the rest by the end of November, according to the report. Luxshare ended its production run in October.
People familiar with Apple’s supply chain told The Information that only about 10% of its iPhone manufacturing capacity was devoted to the Air, but even that limited output has proved difficult to sell.
The model remains widely available in stores and online — a sharp contrast to Apple’s top-tier iPhone 17 Pro, which continues to sell out in some markets.
In September, the iPhone Air accounted for just 3% of total iPhone sales, compared with 9% for the iPhone 17 Pro and 12% for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners data cited by The Information.
Apple had been developing the iPhone Air 2 with plans for a lighter frame, a larger battery and improved cooling using vapor chamber technology already found in the iPhone 17 Pro.
Engineers were also exploring a redesign that would add a second rear camera — a feature absent from the first version and widely cited as a dealbreaker for many consumers.
Some engineers and suppliers are continuing work on the device, raising the possibility that a revamped iPhone Air 2 could surface as soon as spring 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18 and lower-cost iPhone 18e, The Information reported.
While the move stops short of an outright cancellation, taking a major iPhone model off the release calendar at this stage is highly unusual for Apple, current and former employees told the outlet.
The company had only begun early production trials of the new model this summer, just as the first iPhone Air hit store shelves.
Apple declined to comment on the report.
The delay marks another setback in Apple’s years-long search for a successful midrange iPhone.
Previous experiments — the compact iPhone Mini and the large-screen iPhone Plus — were both discontinued after sluggish demand.
