Contrary to a recent rumor, Apple didn’t delay the launch of the iPhone Air 2 to 2027 — that was seemingly the company’s plan all along.
A new report adds more info about the road map for the super-slim device, as well as shedding more light on Apple’s plans to spread out iPhone launches starting in 2026 to give its marketing team some breathing room.
A staggered iPhone release cycle
Apple always has a busy fall, launching new iPhones, AirPods and several other devices within a few weeks of each other. This year, the company launched four new iPhone models, AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. Then, a few weeks later, it unveiled the M5-powered MacBook Pro and M5 iPad Pro.
Starting in 2026, Apple will change its iPhone release timeline, spreading it across the year. Rumors point to the first folding iPhone launching in 2026. It will supposedly debut alongside the high-end models: the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Then, six months later, in March 2027, Apple will reportedly unveil the iPhone 18e, iPhone 18 and possibly the iPhone Air 2.
By spreading out the launches of six iPhones, Apple will ease the burden on its marketing team and its supply chain. The switch will also enable the company to spread out its revenue throughout the year.
iPhone Air 2’s big upgrade could be a 2nm chip
The Information recently reported that Apple delayed the iPhone Air 2’s release to 2027 due to poor sales. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says this timeline was always the company’s plan.
“The second-generation iPhone Air hadn’t actually been earmarked for next year — at least not in recent months,” he said Sunday in his Power On newsletter. “So this wasn’t a delay due to the phone’s sales performance.”
The company reportedly chose the name “iPhone Air” instead of “iPhone 17 Air” because it never planned to update the super-slim model every year.
With the iPhone Air 2, Apple is focusing on moving to a more efficient t. That should help improve the iPhone Air’s battery life — a major weak point of the current model.
Gurman also said he doubts the rumors that indicate Apple will add a secondary ultra-wide camera to the iPhone Air 2. That would require redoing the entire rear plateau. And for something that people rarely use.
He also disputed reports claiming the iPhone Air is selling poorly.
“Apple developed the Air believing it would make up 6% to 8% of new iPhone sales, I’m told,” he wrote. “That roughly matches the performance of the iPhone 16 Plus model that it replaced. ”
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
