It is not uncommon for top online stores in China, such as Tmall and JD.com, to offer salivating discounts on Apple’s current-generation iPhones when the new year starts, but what took us by surprise is the fact that a significant price cut has been applied to the iPhone Air. The flagship launched in China in the middle of October, with the sleek flagship quickly selling out in the region, signifying that Apple’s position as a premium brand was the reason behind its initial success. Unfortunately, the device’s popularity started dwindling to the point that a discount of $415 has been applied to it.
Massive discounts on the iPhone Air signify that China’s online stores aren’t seeing any traction for these models, concluding that the ‘slim smartphone’ experiment has failed miserably
Apple’s official online store listed on Tmall launched a promotional campaign where the price of the iPhone Air was reduced by 2,000 yuan ($286.8), with the final price being 5,499 yuan, or $788.5, which is exceptionally low considering that it launched for $999 for the base model in the U.S. Not wanting to get left behind, JD.com, which is China’s largest e-commerce store, initiated a similar campaign, and thanks to a trade-in subsidy that can reach 400 yuan ($57), the final discount becomes an attractive 2,900 yuan, or $415.
It didn’t take long for consumers to realize that the iPhone Air wasn’t worth its steep price tag. Sure, the A19 Pro and 12GB RAM were an impressive hardware combination, but the single primary camera configuration coupled with the small 3,149mAh battery were absolute deal breakers. While Apple continues to employ optimizations to iOS to help its software offset the smaller battery capacities to deliver increased runtime, the iPhone Air still lost to the Galaxy S25 Edge in an endurance test, summarizing that there’s a limit to what software optimizations can achieve.
The iPhone Air has also had the highest depreciation rate of any iPhone model launched since 2022, with data revealing that the device has lost 47.7 percent of its original value in the first 10 weeks of its inception. Despite the poor reception, Apple does not appear to have given up hope and is planning a second-generation version equipped with two primary cameras, but with no significant design change. However, the technology giant is reported to have an entirely different launch strategy this year, with the iPhone Air 2 slated to launch in the spring of 2027.
Even if Apple continues to bet on this form factor, the immediate successor to the iPhone Air will probably have a significantly lower production volume than the remaining models. For now, if you reside in China, consider yourself fortunate because you have the opportunity to grab a feature-rich iPhone at immense savings.
News Source: MyDrivers
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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