Apple may indeed release a second-generation iPhone Air smartphone in 2026, according to a leaker who has contradicted earlier reports suggesting the company might wait until 2027.
According to Fixed Focus Digital posting on Weibo on Wednesday, Apple is pressing ahead with plans to succeed the iPhone Air with an announcement set for its usual autumn launch event, alongside a prospective iPhone 18 range.
Given the iPhone Air hasn’t exactly been a smash hit since its launch in September, there were question marks over whether a second-generation might be quick to follow. Indeed, a report in November suggested the poor sales had convinced Apple that a rapid redo shouldn’t be on the agenda. What we have now is a pair of leakers contradicting each other and, in that case, it’s probably best to ignore the noise and assume neither knows anything for certain.
While the phone won’t be for everyone, our reviewer enjoyed the stunning new design and the wonderful, large 6.5-inch display. He commented that the iPhone Pro-level hardware remained faithful for the most part. He also praised the highly pocketable super-thin design and the robust feeling.
However, there were complaints also. The single camera and “bang average” battery life leave a lot to be desired for a phone starting at $1099/£1099, while there’s only a mono speaker. It also gets mighty warm when the processor is working hard.
He concluded a four-star review, by saying: “As such, while the iPhone Air is a fantastically designed device, Apple itself does much better options if you are happy to go for a little more bulk. Roll on iPhone Air 2 – if Apple can add another camera and longer battery life to this phone, then it could be a fantastic third option to the standard phone or going Pro.”
Will we see a sequel next year? Right now there’s debate among the would-be in-the-know users.
