- Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the new iPhone Air has “fallen short of expectations.”
- Apple is reportedly cutting production capacity for the Air, with some suppliers slashing output by over 80% by the first quarter of 2026.
- Kuo suggests the popular Pro models leave little room in the market for new entrants like the Air, a trend seen with past ‘mini’ and ‘Plus’ models.
- Despite the cuts, this may reflect Apple’s flexible supply chain adjusting to early demand rather than a definitive failure.
Top Analyst Confirms iPhone Air Production Woes
The chorus of concern over the iPhone Air’s market performance is growing louder. Famed TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now added his influential voice to reports claiming Apple is significantly cutting back on production for its newest smartphone model due to disappointing demand.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo stated that the Air has “fallen short of expectations,” prompting the supply chain to begin scaling back its production capacity. This corroborates earlier reports from publications like Nikkei, signaling a clear trend in the early days of the device’s lifecycle.
In a post to X on Wednesday, Kuo writes that the Air has \”fallen short of expectations,\” and that the supply chain is starting to scale back production capacity. https://x.com/mingchikuo/status/1981051589000671742
— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) October 22, 2025
A Pattern of Pro Dominance
According to Kuo, the iPhone Air’s struggle isn’t necessarily an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger trend within Apple’s product strategy. He believes the existing standard and Pro iPhone models “already cover the majority of high-end user demand well,” which leaves “little room” for a new device like the Air to carve out its own niche.
This isn’t the first time Apple has faced this challenge. The company saw similar struggles with the iPhone mini and, to some extent, the Plus models, both of which failed to gain the significant traction Apple may have hoped for. Kuo suggests the iPhone Air has now “failed to gain traction” in the same way, squeezed out by the overwhelming popularity of its Pro siblings.
Supply Chain in Flux
The production adjustments are reportedly substantial. Kuo insists that most suppliers are cutting capacity by a staggering 80% or more by the first quarter of 2026. Furthermore, components with longer lead times are expected to be discontinued entirely by the end of 2025, painting a grim picture for the model’s future production volume.
Is the iPhone Air a Flop? Not So Fast
While reports of massive production cuts often lead to declarations of failure, the reality may be more nuanced. Apple is renowned for its incredibly agile and responsive supply chain, which is designed to pivot quickly to meet real-time consumer demand rather than sticking rigidly to initial sales forecasts.
Historically, the more expensive Pro models tend to dominate Apple’s sales mix in the initial months following a launch. Sales often level out later in the product cycle as a wider range of consumers make their purchases. Therefore, the current cutbacks could simply be a temporary adjustment. If sales patterns shift in the coming months, Apple can just as easily increase its orders for the iPhone Air, proving that these early signs aren’t necessarily a death sentence.
Image Referance: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/10/22/kuo-joins-iphone-air-supply-chain-cutback-claim-chorus