Despite the iPhone Air's struggling sales, a known leaker claims Apple will push ahead with at least two generations of the device, while also suggesting the standard iPhone 18 will see virtually no exterior design changes.
In a recent post on Weibo, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the standard iPhone 18 will not have substantial changes to its design, reinforcing rumors about an incremental upgrade:
The standard model of the iPhone 18 will see virtually no changes to its exterior design—aside from a potential minor tweak to its dimensions.
In another post, the leaker claimed that Apple still plans to release a second-generation iPhone Air model:
The Air 2 will proceed with its standard product iteration cycle; no matter how abysmal the sales turn out to be, Apple will grit its teeth and push through with at least two generations...
Sales of the iPhone Air have reportedly struggled badly since its launch in September 2025. A KeyBanc Capital Markets survey for investors found "virtually no demand" for the device. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that suppliers were expected to reduce capacity by more than 80% between launch and the first quarter of 2026. Luxshare stopped making the iPhone Air in October, and Foxconn was expected to end production by the end of December, leaving the device believed to be entirely out of production. The iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus performed similarly poorly and saw only two generations each.
According to The Information, Apple is now considering a redesign of the iPhone Air to add a second rear camera to address one of the main criticisms of the current model. One report suggested the second camera could be a 48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide lens. Previous reports have also said Apple's work on the second-generation model is aimed at reducing the weight, adding vapor chamber cooling, and improving the battery capacity, along with a thinner Face ID module, and adding the A20 and C2 chips.
The standard iPhone 18 is expected to be an incremental update, adding Apple's A20 and C2 chips, 12GB of memory, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and a simplified Camera Control button.
Apple is widely believed to be planning a break from its long-established annual September release cycle with the iPhone 18 lineup, splitting the lineup across two windows: The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone are expected in fall 2026, while the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will likely follow in spring 2027. A Nikkei Asia report corroborating the strategy noted it aims to both optimize resources and maximize revenue from premium models.
