As is typically the case about a year out, the 2026 iPhone lineup is in flux, as one leaker contradicts reports that the second-generation iPhone Air won't arrive until 2027.

The iPhone Air is viewed by analysts as a model that hasn't lived up to its potential in terms of sales. However, while some say that the second release in the iPhone Air line won't be arriving in 2026, one leaker is more optimistic.

According to Weibo leaker "Fixed Focus Digital" on Wednesday, sources said that the successor to the iPhone Air will be unveiled at the 2026 fall iPhone event.

While low in detail and without evidence to back up the assertion, the posting does go against the opinion of other Apple observers. In November, a report insisted that the alleged poor sales of the iPhone Air were bad enough for Apple to skip a fall 2026 update.

The November article also claimed that managers inside Apple told engineers that the next iPhone Air was being removed from the schedule. At the time, Apple did not set a new release date for the refreshed model.

In a later December report, the iPhone Air 2 was forecast for a release in the Spring of 2027, about six months later than originally planned.

As for what to expect from the next iPhone Air release, leaker Digital Chat Station said in November that it will have the same 6.5-inch display, but it will have a second 48MP camera in the rear plateau.

iPhone 17e

In the same post, Fixed Focus Digital also mentions that the iPhone 17e is in mass production and "will be seen." Again, no real detail is provided by the leaker, other than the model's apparent existence in the manufacturing pipeline.

That model is expected to turn up in the Spring of 2026, along with a 6.1-inch display, the A19 chip, and a glass back to enable wireless charging.

The leaker, Fixed Focus Digital, has a relatively mixed track record when it comes to leaks. While they were correct about the name of the iPhone 16e, they were incorrect about the apparent failure of the model line.

They also mistakenly said that the iPhone 17 would get a 120Hz display, but not ProMotion.

When it comes to Weibo leakers in general, AppleInsider recommends being careful about what is claimed by them. With pressures to maintain a social presence, this often leads to accounts reposting details found elsewhere with precious few checks for accuracy in place.