Apple has delayed the release of the next-generation iPhone Air following weaker-than-expected sales of the ultra-thin smartphone, according to The Information. Production lines have been halted as the company rethinks its strategy for the product.

The upcoming model had originally been scheduled for release from September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone. However, Apple has now removed it from the launch calendar without announcing a new date, The Information reported Monday, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The move underscores growing challenges in Apple’s effort to diversify beyond its core iPhone line up.

When it launched in September, the iPhone Air was promoted as Apple’s thinnest and most durable phone yet. However, it drew criticism from both reviewers and consumers for its single-camera system, limited battery life, and weaker audio performance compared with the Pro models.

Apple’s manufacturing partners Foxconn and Luxshare have already stopped or sharply reduced production of the current iPhone Air. According to the report, Foxconn has dismantled most of its production lines, keeping only one and a half in operation, with plans to shut down the rest by the end of November. Luxshare ended its production run in October.

Sources familiar with Apple’s supply chain told The Information that only about 10 per cent of total iPhone production capacity was dedicated to the Air, yet even that smaller output has been difficult to sell. The model remains readily available in stores and online, in contrast to the iPhone 17 Pro, which continues to sell out in some markets.

In September, the iPhone Air represented just 3 per cent of overall iPhone sales, compared with 9 per cent for the iPhone 17 Pro and 12 per cent for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners cited by The Information.

Apple had been developing the iPhone Air 2 with plans for a lighter frame, larger battery, and improved cooling using vapor chamber technology already featured in the iPhone 17 Pro. Engineers were also considering adding a second rear camera, a feature many consumers felt was missing from the first model.

Some engineers and suppliers continue to work on the project, suggesting a redesigned iPhone Air 2 could still appear as early as March 2027 alongside the iPhone 18 and the more affordable iPhone 18e, according to The Information.

While Apple has not cancelled the device outright, removing a major iPhone model from the release schedule at this stage is highly unusual, current and former employees told the outlet. The company had only begun early production trials of the new model from this June; around the same time the first iPhone Air went on sale.

Apple declined to comment on the report.

The delay marks another setback in Apple’s ongoing search for a successful midrange iPhone. Previous attempts, including the compact iPhone Mini and the large-screen iPhone Plus, were both discontinued due to lacklustre demand.