GoKawiilApple skips iPhone Air 2 at 2025 launch, leaves mid-tier gap unfilled
At its annual iPhone event, Apple unveiled only premium models — the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max — skipping both a base iPhone 18 and a successor to last year's slim iPhone 17 Air. The Air had offered a lighter, cheaper middle option at $999 with fewer cameras and a smaller battery, but it won't return this cycle despite reportedly weak sales.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Without an Air successor or base model, Apple's cheapest new phone starts at $1,199, pushing budget-conscious buyers further away from this year's lineup. CNET survey data shows most consumers aren't interested in the $1,999-plus foldable Duo, meaning many shoppers now have no attractively priced new iPhone option, likely pushing them toward older models or price increases on the iPhone 17.
- Apple didn't announce a second-generation iPhone Air or a base iPhone 18 model.
- The iPhone Air had served as a design testbed for slim, spec-compromised phones like the new foldable Duo.
- Apple's cheapest new device is now $1,199, while most surveyed consumers don't want the pricier foldable option.
Apple iPhone Air — Since Apple skipped an iPhone Air 2, the original iPhone Air remains the only way to get that ultra-slim, 5.6mm, 165-gram design the article highlights. It packs a 48-megapixel rear camera into a body that feels almost weightless in a pocket, making it the middle-ground pick between the base and Pro models.
See Apple iPhone Air on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Corinne Reichert, 2026-09-10
Published there as: “The iPhone Air 2 Wasn’t Announced. Here’s Why That’s Bad for Apple Buyers”
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