Another report has claimed Apple is reducing component orders for the iPhone Air, allegedly to levels closer to the quantity that gets produced towards the end of a product's life.
On October 17, the first report alluding to changes in production figures for the 2025 iPhone collection surfaced. On Wednesday, a second report appears to double down on that claim.
According to Nikkei, who claims multiple sources, the production plans for the iPhone Air have been cut down due to weak demand. At the same time, production of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models are allegedly going up.
The iPhone Air has endured a lukewarm reception from consumers around the world, the report claims. The lackluster demand resulted in Apple supposedly slashing iPhone Air manufacturing considerably.
One unidentified component supplier manager speaking to the report is quoted as saying, "The total forecast has almost entered end-of-production mode, dropping significantly compared to earlier projections." The production in November will allegedly be down by about 10% versus September's production run.
The "end-of production" quote doesn't mean that Apple is discontinuing the iPhone Air. If this completely unverifiable report is accurate, it means that for now, Apple has what it needs to produce completed units sufficient for about 60 days.
Apple operates on a "just in time" manufacturing ethos. That means that it does not stock parts for more than about two months of production. Instead, it orders what it needs, when it needs them, given lead times for components.
The initial production plan had the iPhone Air accounting for approximately 10% to 15% of the new batch of iPhones in 2025, two sources said. However, Apple has apparently told suppliers to reduce module production for the iPhone Air.
While the supply chain may be reducing orders, demand in China still seems to be healthy for the iPhone Air. On Friday, Chinese media reported that the iPhone Air sold out almost immediately after preorders opened.
If accurate, this makes model more popular there than in the U.S. and other markets.
iPhone 17 boost
While the iPhone Air is allegedly being cut down in the supply chain, the other models are viewed as exceeding expectations, with much higher demand. Apple has reportedly increased production orders for the base iPhone 17 by approximately 5 million units, two sources claimed. Orders have also increased for the iPhone 17 Pro.
Overall, the production orders for the iPhone 17 are "stable and on track," a supply chain executive explained. Another admitted that, while there are always expectations of order adjustments in the months after release, the product launch has been "good news" to the supply chain.
The production forecast for iPhone models overall is said by the report to be between 85 million and 90 million. However, in Friday's initial iPhone production change report, an investment firm said Apple had increased its overall production from 88 million to 94 million units.
On a per-model basis, Apple is expected to order one million fewer iPhone Air units by the end of 2025, the firm claimed. By contrast, orders for the iPhone 17 Pro will grow by one million, the iPhone 17 by two million, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max by four million orders.
There were seemingly some signs of initial demand issues for the iPhone Air.
At the start of October, a consumer survey monitoring demand for Apple's smartphones indicated that the iPhone 17 Pro Max was the most popular with a 33% share, followed by the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17.
The iPhone Air wasn't initially mentioned in the results. It was later disclosed to AppleInsider that the Air only scored a 2% share, and was outside the top five results included in the report.
