Here’s why adding a second camera won’t fix the iPhone Air sales

Apple is so good at selling millions of iPhones that people quickly forget its blunders.

The company’s performance in 2025 is a great example. Last year, the company dominated the smartphone market and broke its records, all thanks to the fantastic performance of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models. That success completely overshadowed the commercial failure of the iPhone Air.

Still, Apple is reportedly considering how to address the main issues of the iPhone Air and offer a more compelling sequel. The latest rumors claim that the iPhone Air 2 may feature a double camera, adding an ultra-wide shooter to the back. That’s not a bad idea, but it won’t help Apple sell more super-slim phones.

In fact, the iPhone Air is far from the first time Apple has struggled to sell an unusual iPhone model. That’s the third failure for the company over the last five years, and if you have paid attention, it’s the least surprising.

The mystery of Apple’s failed smartphones

Of course, it all started with the iPhone 12 mini. While many users online claimed that they’d kill for a small top-tier smartphone, its sales were abysmal. What Apple marketed as a “pocket flagship” turned out to be a flawed phone with a tiny screen and appalling battery life. The iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini never broke beyond their niche status, and the concept died after just a couple of generations.

Then, Apple decided to go in the exactly opposite direction with the iPhone 14 Plus. The tiny screen grew into a giant one, and the petite battery turned into the best-performing one in the iPhone 14 lineup. However, the iPhone 14 Plus had little more than its size to offer. It lacked the Dynamic Island and higher refresh rate of the Pro models, making it just as unpopular as its mini predecessors. This concept also died after two generations.



If there’s a common thread running through the history of Apple’s iPhone blunders, it must be the pricing. The iPhone 12 mini launched at $699, which was the same price as the larger iPhone 11, making people feel like they were getting less phone for more money. Anyone who wanted a small iPhone had already bought an iPhone SE 2020, which was launched just a few months before the 12 mini.

While the details are different, Apple’s mistake with the iPhone 14 Plus pricing was very similar. Launching at $899, that was one of the worst smartphone deals of the year. Android flagships at the same price were much better, and for $100 more, you could get the much better iPhone 14 Pro.

Yeah, it’s about the price

One thing many critics seem to miss is that the iPhone Air is not a bad phone. Yeah, it could use an extra camera, a larger battery, and better cooling, but you can say the same about almost any phone. In fact, the iPhone Air is a great smartphone with a horrible price.

If you need more solid proof of that, look no further than Samsung. The Galaxy S25 Edge has the double camera and larger battery that should help the iPhone Air 2 sell better. Despite those extra features, the S25 Edge sold so badly that Samsung was forced to change its Galaxy S26 series plans.