Hyderabad: Apple is expected to launch the second generation of its slimmest iPhone, the iPhone Air 2, next spring, alongside the standard iPhone 18 and the next-generation most affordable iPhone 18e. 

According to online reports, the iPhone Air 2 is likely to feature several meaningful upgrades over its predecessor, including a second rear camera, a more powerful chipset, and improved battery life.

iPhone Air 2: Expected Launch 

Apple's September 2026 event confirmed what had been long reported: the company has split its iPhone launch calendar into two windows. The iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Duo — Apple's first foldable device — were all unveiled in the autumn, while the iPhone Air 2, base iPhone 18, and iPhone 18e were absent. This clearly points towards a separate launch event in spring 2027.

A Bloomberg report has since confirmed that the Air 2 is coming in 2027, putting to rest earlier speculation that Apple might replace the slim model with an iPhone 18 Plus instead.

iPhone Air 2: Expected price 

The iPhone Air 2 is expected to be available in three storage models: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. In India, the introductory retail price of the base 256GB model could be at Rs 1.20 lakh, the 512GB variant expected at Rs 1.40 lakh, and the 1TB model expected at Rs 1.60 lakh.

However, Apple's ex-CEO Tim Cook had said earlier that a price increase is unavoidable, citing rising component costs. It remains unclear whether this price hike will affect the Air 2.

iPhone Air 2: Cameras

One of the biggest criticisms of the original iPhone Air was its single rear camera. At its price point, having just a single lens put it at a disadvantage against both Apple's own lineup and rival phones from other brands.

The iPhone Air 2 may finally fix this. A second 48MP ultra-wide camera is widely reported for the rear, which would bring it closer to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 in terms of versatility. The main 48MP camera is expected to carry over, along with an 18MP front camera.

It is worth noting that not every source agrees on this. Some reports suggest Apple may stick with a single camera for one more generation. Fitting a second lens into such a thin body also raises engineering questions — one reported design places the two cameras on opposite sides of the rear panel, an unusual layout for Apple. 

iPhone Air 2: Design

The Air 2 will reportedly be measured at just 5.2mm thickness, 0.4mm less than the original Air's already slim 5.6mm body. Despite the reduction, the phone is expected to keep its titanium frame and Ceramic Shield Glass for durability.

iPhone Air 2: Display

The Air 2 is expected to feature the 6.5-inch OLED display from the original Air, with an unchanged 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits of peak brightness. 

Notably, the thickness of the display may change. Reports point to a slimmer display component, which would free up a small amount of internal space, useful for a larger battery.

iPhone Air 2: Battery

The Air 2 will reportedly carry a 3,500mAh battery, representing an 11 per cent increase over the estimated 3,149mAh battery in the current model. Apple rates the existing Air at up to 27 hours of video playback offline, and a larger battery could push that closer to 30 hours. MagSafe wireless charging is expected to return, though a big jump in wired charging speed is not currently reported.

iPhone Air 2: Chipset

The Air 2 is expected to be powered by the A20 Pro, the same chipset found in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Built on TSMC's 2nm process, the A20 Pro delivers up to 20 per cent faster single-thread performance than its predecessor, a 40 per cent faster GPU, and double the AI processing capacity. Apple also claims around 30 per cent better efficiency overall, which would contribute meaningfully to battery life in a thin chassis. 

iPhone Air 2: iOS 27 and a new Siri

The iPhone Air 2 is expected to be shipped with iOS 27, which introduces a fully rebuilt Siri AI. The new Siri combines Apple's own models with Gemini to understand natural conversation, read what is on screen, and carry out multi-step tasks across different apps. It also has its own standalone app with conversation history that syncs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Other iOS 27 improvements include deeper Apple Intelligence features across the Camera, Safari, Messages, and Photos apps, as well as new AI editing tools, smarter tab organisation in Safari, and a reworked CPU scheduler for smoother performance.