Rumor suggests Apple scaling back iPhone Air production amid weaker demand

Meanwhile, the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup is performing well – analysts at Japan’s Mizuho Securities have raised their production forecast for the Pro model by five million units, while trimming the estimate for the ultra-thin iPhone Air by just one million.

Their numbers are indirectly supported by data from Canadian accessory maker dbrand, which reports that only about 5% of its case sales are for the iPhone Air. The vast majority of customers are choosing accessories for the 17 Pro and Pro Max.

This isn’t particularly surprising – in Apple’s price ladder of iPhone 17 → iPhone Air → iPhone 17 Pro, the sleek but compromised Air costs $200 more than the standard iPhone 17, yet only $100 less than the redesigned Pro.

For many buyers, it’s an easy choice: if you’re already spending that much, why not pay a little extra for the better camera system and more premium design of the 17 Pro or Pro Max?

According to various reports, Apple has produced just under twenty million iPhone Air units so far, and with the delayed sales launch in China, the company is still expected to sell through its existing stock over the coming year.