Podcast Episode
In the United Kingdom, Amazon has slashed one hundred and fifty pounds from the price, bringing it down to eight hundred and forty-nine pounds. Australian carrier Vodafone is offering a staggering thirty-three percent discount, making it the cheapest model in Apple's current lineup. Similar cuts have appeared across China and other markets.
By comparison, the standard iPhone seventeen models have held their value considerably better, averaging thirty-five percent depreciation over the same period.
Apple has reportedly cut production by over eighty percent, with some suppliers shutting down production lines entirely.
iPhone Air Struggles: Apple's Ultra-Thin Gamble Sees Record Discounts
January 25, 2026
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Apple's iPhone Air is experiencing unprecedented price cuts just four months after launch, with retailers slashing up to thirty-three percent off the device. The ultra-thin smartphone has suffered the worst resale value drop of any iPhone since twenty twenty-two, losing nearly half its value in just ten weeks.
A Thin Line Between Innovation and Failure
Apple's boldest smartphone experiment in years is faltering. The iPhone Air, launched in September twenty twenty-five as the company's thinnest iPhone ever at just five point six millimetres, is now seeing steep discounts across global markets as retailers scramble to shift units.In the United Kingdom, Amazon has slashed one hundred and fifty pounds from the price, bringing it down to eight hundred and forty-nine pounds. Australian carrier Vodafone is offering a staggering thirty-three percent discount, making it the cheapest model in Apple's current lineup. Similar cuts have appeared across China and other markets.
Record-Breaking Depreciation
The secondary market tells an even grimmer story. According to trade-in data from SellCell, the iPhone Air has depreciated by an average of forty-four point three percent within just ten weeks of launch. The one terabyte model fared worst, losing nearly forty-eight percent of its original value. This marks the steepest decline recorded for any iPhone since twenty twenty-two.By comparison, the standard iPhone seventeen models have held their value considerably better, averaging thirty-five percent depreciation over the same period.
The Cost of Going Thin
Creating such a slim device required significant compromises. The iPhone Air features only a single rear camera, limited battery capacity, and carries a price tag of nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars that rivals far more capable devices. Research from KeyBanc Capital Markets found virtually no consumer demand for the handset.Apple has reportedly cut production by over eighty percent, with some suppliers shutting down production lines entirely.
What Happens Next
Rumours suggest Apple is exploring adding a forty-eight megapixel ultra-wide camera to a second-generation model. However, conflicting reports indicate the iPhone Air two may be delayed until twenty twenty-seven, though some leakers claim it remains on track for late twenty twenty-six. Either way, the original iPhone Air serves as a stark reminder that even Apple cannot sell a phone on thinness alone.Published January 25, 2026 at 9:07pm