Apple Reportedly Scales Back iPhone Air Production
▼ Summary
– Apple is scaling back iPhone Air production to near “end of production” levels while maintaining overall iPhone 17 lineup estimates of 85-90 million units.
– The iPhone Air, praised for its slim design and lighter weight, is Apple’s first ultra-thin phone and may precede a foldable iPhone.
– iPhone Air production orders are being significantly reduced from November, originally accounting for 10-15% of iPhone 17 lineup projections.
– Apple has increased base iPhone 17 production by 5 million units and boosted Pro model production to compensate for Air cutbacks.
– iPhone 17 series sales outperformed iPhone 16 by 14% in early US and China sales, with base models up 31% and Pro models up 12%, while Air sales matched the low-selling iPhone 16 Plus.
Apple is reportedly making significant cuts to the production of its new iPhone Air model, shifting manufacturing capacity toward the more popular base and Pro versions of the iPhone 17 series. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple has informed its supply chain partners that it is drastically reducing iPhone Air output, bringing it close to levels that typically signal the end of a product’s manufacturing cycle. This decision comes despite the company maintaining its total production forecast for the entire iPhone 17 lineup at between 85 and 90 million units.
The iPhone Air represented Apple’s first major push into the ultra-thin smartphone category, with initial production orders estimated to make up 10 to 15 percent of the total iPhone 17 production plan. However, supply chain managers indicate that actual production volumes will see a substantial decrease beginning in November. To compensate for this reduction, Apple has reportedly increased manufacturing for the standard iPhone 17 by approximately 5 million units while also boosting production numbers for the Pro models.
Early sales data from Counterpoint Research shows the iPhone 17 series outperforming its predecessor by 14 percent during the initial ten-day sales period in both the United States and China. The base iPhone 17 model experienced particularly strong demand with a 31 percent increase in sales, which analysts attribute to the addition of an always-on display with high refresh rate technology. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models saw a 12 percent sales increase, bolstered by attractive carrier upgrade deals offering significant discounts.
Reviewers had noted that while the iPhone Air offered a fresh design and lighter weight that provided genuine user benefits, the device faced challenges with battery life and its single-camera system when compared to the more feature-rich iPhone 17 Pro. The Air model’s sales performance has reportedly been similar to that of the iPhone 16 Plus, which it replaced in Apple’s product lineup. Both devices represented the smallest portion of sales within their respective generations, suggesting that consumer preference continues to lean toward devices with more comprehensive feature sets rather than those prioritizing slim form factors above all else.
(Source: The Verge)
