Key takeaways
- iPhone Air 2 is expected in spring 2027 with a second camera and a bigger battery in the same thin body. Price talk points to $1,099, just $100 under the iPhone 18 Pro.
- The first iPhone Air costs $999 and still has USB 2, 25W wired charging and one speaker, while the iPhone 18 Pro charges at 60W.
- My view: the Air is still the most “wow” phone Apple has shown. But a weaker phone for almost the Pro price is nonsense, and Apple knows it.
iPhone Air 2 is expected next spring with a second camera and a larger battery in the same thin body, according to Bloomberg. The first iPhone Air costs $999 and still ships with USB 2, 25W wired charging and a single speaker, while the $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro charges at 60W.
In this article: The iPhone Duo is here. The Air is still the “wow” phone · Apple won’t give up on it · $100 under the Pro? That makes no sense · Too many iPhones · Thin should not be an excuse · What would make it right · FAQ
The iPhone Duo is here. The Air is still the “wow” phone
Some say the iPhone Duo took the Air’s place. I don’t think so. The Air is still the thinnest iPhone, and at the same time the most “wow” phone Apple has ever shown. It’s truly fantastic. Every time I’m in a store, I take it in my hand.
But I said it before, and I keep my word: I’m waiting for the second or even the third generation. Never the first.
Apple won’t give up on it
Every few months, someone writes that the Air is dead. That’s nonsense. Yes, demand is smaller than Apple hoped. But I don’t think it’s so weak that the phone has no future. Let’s wait and look at how many millions were actually sold. I’m sure Apple won’t give up on the Air.
$100 under the Pro? That makes no sense
Here is what I don’t understand. If the Air 2 really costs $1,099, it’s just $100 cheaper than the iPhone 18 Pro. Why does Apple even release it like this? Apple knows itself that the price for thinness and lightness is not justified.
Put $100 more on the table, and you get better sound, better cameras, faster charging, USB 3, and a whole Pro model. That’s not a choice. In my opinion, it makes no sense at all. Apple sees it, and still prices it so that people don’t buy it. Then it reads the sales numbers and acts surprised.
| iPhone Air | iPhone Air 2 (rumored) | iPhone 18 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear cameras | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Battery | 3,149 mAh | about 3,500 mAh | bigger |
| USB | USB 2 | ? | USB 3 |
| Wired charging | 25W | ? | 60W |
| Price | $999 | $1,099? | $1,199 |
Too many iPhones
Look at the lineup Apple will have next spring: iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Duo. Six iPhones. Too many versions and variations, and in the middle, an expensive Air: a weaker but prettier phone for almost the Pro price.
The way I see it, the Air doesn’t lose to Samsung or to the Duo. It loses to the iPhone 18 Pro sitting next to it on the same table.
Thin should not be an excuse
One speaker, USB 2, slow charging, no macro. Apple sold each of these as the price of being thin. For the first generation, fine. If the second generation keeps them and costs more, that’s not design. That’s a bad deal. And with prices going up across the lineup, I don’t expect Apple to be generous.
What would make it right
Keep it thin and keep it beautiful. Give it a battery for the whole day, USB 3, faster charging and stereo sound, and leave it at $999 or less. Then the Air stops being “the pretty one” and becomes the phone people actually buy.
Also on Evolt News: iPhone Air 2: Everyone Calls the Air a Flop. For Me, It Is the Sexiest iPhone · iPhone 18: Bigger Battery, Bigger Price · Apple Sold Us the Action Button as Innovation. Now It Takes It Away
Featured image: Ahmad Ali Karim / Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
This article is opinion.
iPhone Air 2: FAQ
When is iPhone Air 2 coming?
Bloomberg reports spring 2027, alongside the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e. Apple has not announced it.
What changes in iPhone Air 2?
Rumors point to a second 48MP ultra wide camera, a battery of about 3,500 mAh, the A20 Pro chip and a vapor chamber, in the same dimensions as the first Air.
How much will iPhone Air 2 cost?
Apple hasn’t said. Some expect $1,099, $100 more than the first iPhone Air’s $999.
What are the iPhone Air’s weak points?
USB 2 speeds, 20W MagSafe and 25W wired charging, a single speaker, and no macro, RAW or Cinematic mode.
Is the iPhone Air discontinued?
No. Reports said the second generation was delayed, not cancelled.
Will iPhone Air 2 get macro photos?
If the rumored ultra wide camera arrives, yes. The first iPhone Air has no macro mode because it has only one rear camera.
I read this news on 9to5Mac.
Sources: 9to5Mac, Bloomberg, Macworld.
Our Take
The Air is still the most beautiful and the most “wow” iPhone Apple has made, and I don’t believe Apple will give up on it.
But a weaker phone for $100 less than a full Pro makes no sense. Apple sees it. If the Air 2 doesn’t get a fair price, beauty alone won’t sell it a second time.
