Apple will significantly reduce production of the ultra-thin iPhone Air, introduced in September, due to weak sales, reports Nikkei Asia, citing sources in the supply chain. Production orders will be reduced to almost "completion level" - from November, output will be less than 10% of September's figures, the sources told the publication.

"Demand for the iPhone Air is virtually nil, and willingness to pay for [a possible future] foldable smartphone [from Apple] is minimal," Fortune noted, citing KeyBanc Capital Market survey results. In addition, artificial intelligence features have not yet had a significant impact on customer decisions either, despite the company's active promotion of this topic, KeyBanc analysts added.

An indirect sign of weak demand for the ultra-lightweight gadget was the fact that all versions of the iPhone Air since the launch are available for immediate purchase on Apple's website, while the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models are shipped with a delay of two to three weeks, Fortune notes. Overall, interest in the new smartphones has been higher than expected, according to Counterpoint Research analysts. Sales of the iPhone 17 series in the first 10 days in the U.S. and China outpaced the previous lineup by 14%.

Reports of the iPhone Air's scaled-down release come just weeks after its launch in China, which was delayed due to regulatory issues. The thin and lightweight gadget was the company's boldest design experiment in recent years. However, outside the Chinese market, interest in it has been low, Fortune emphasizes.

In trading on October 22, Apple shares fell almost 3% to $255.4. Since the beginning of the year, the market value of the company in the plus only 2.4%. For comparison: the main U.S. stock index S&P 500 for the same period added more than 13%.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor

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