Apple's Sales Hopes Deflated by Tepid iPhone Air Demand

Core Insights - Sales of Apple's iPhone Air have been lower than expected, leading to a reduction in production plans shortly after launch [2][3] - Consumers are prioritizing better value and higher specifications over the iPhone Air's features, which has affected its sales performance [2][3] - Apple is exploring new strategies to boost iPhone sales, which are crucial as they accounted for $209 billion in revenue in the first nine months of the year [3] Sales Performance - The iPhone Air sold about one-third of Apple's highest expectations, prompting a halving of production plans [3] - Other models in the iPhone 17 lineup have performed well, contributing to optimistic projections for a record holiday quarter [4] - Analysts from Morgan Stanley estimate that Apple could produce 90 million units of the iPhone 17 in the second half of the year, partially offset by the weaker performance of the iPhone Air [5] Market Trends - Early sales of the iPhone 17 have surpassed those of the iPhone 16 in key markets like the U.S. and China, indicating strong consumer interest [6] - The base model iPhone 17 is viewed as offering great value, with significant upgrades at the same price point as the previous model [6] - A potential new version of the iPhone Air may be part of a broader rollout of new smartphones by Apple next fall [6]