The iPhone Air's new naming scheme could suggest a new release pattern, but I'm not sure if Apple should make the switch

Apple has finally released the iPhone Air, its first iPhone expressly focused on thinness and lightness.

Next to the regular iPhone 17, and industrial-looking iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone Air looks like a fashion statement – and part of that statement is its name. As I previously discussed, the iPhone Air lacks the numbered branding of its contemporaries, which sets it apart from the rest of the pack.

In my previous article on the iPhone Air, I suggested that this simpler naming scheme could signal a coming change for the entire iPhone lineup, and now one of the biggest names in tech has added fuel to that fire.

In his iPhone 17 series unboxing video, Marques Brownlee of MKBHD comments that "people" have suggested that the iPhone Air may not get annual updates, as the entire iPhone lineup has since the first iPhone was released in 2007.

That’s all that the veteran tech YouTuber says on the matter, but it’s enough to get me thinking. Though I’d previously imagined a change in name for the rest of the iPhone lineup, and pondered the possibility of a new staggered release schedule for the Pro and cheaper iPhones based on recent rumors, I hadn’t really entertained the idea of Apple adopting irregular releases for the iPhone Air.

Giving it some thought, though, there’d be some sense in this approach – there are possibly great benefits to be gained, but also some real downsides.

Take the pressure off

Looking first to the positives, it’s still my estimation that a looser release schedule would give Apple more freedom to update the iPhone as it needs updating, rather than having to cycle through a new model every twelve months.

It just so happens that Apple has been on a hot streak lately, wherein every new iPhone since the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max has brought with it some pretty substantial upgrades – that’s as true for the base model iPhone 17 as it is for the premium iPhone 17 Pro and budget-friendly iPhone 16e.

But the run between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 14 wasn’t so revolutionary, and depending on factors like chipset development speeds and international economic pressures, Apple could quite easily slip back into a pattern of incremental updates.

The same is true for the iPhone Air. It’s no small feat to build such a capable phone into such a small frame, and I wouldn’t be shocked or disappointed if Apple isn't able to innovate on its latest smartphone design to a meaningful degree within the next year. That’s not a judgment on whether the world’s most valuable company should be able to innovate quickly, but a reflection of Apple’s history – the jump between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 remains infamously minuscule.

With the pressure of a yearly cycle removed, the iPhone Air might go two years or more before getting a major hardware update. I think that’s honestly a pro-consumer move – iPhones are notoriously expensive, so a customer paying full price should know that their iPhone is the best product Apple could create, rather than something pushed out the door to meet a deadline.

The iPhone SE, the now-discontinued series of cheaper iPhones, carried a lot of goodwill in this regard. It was only updated every few years, but each SE phone brought meaningful upgrades that really made a difference in users' lives. Despite being much more expensive, the iPhone Air is a similarly niche product – treating these customers as users rather than a revenue source could help Apple finally hold on to its latest ‘middle child’ iPhone for more than a few years.

The bottom line

There are two main downsides I can think of when it comes to releasing the iPhone on an irregular schedule. The first is that it would definitely affect Apple’s profits, which could in turn engender price rises both for the iPhone and across Apple’s portfolio.

Though the current yearly release schedule isn’t exactly inspiring, it is stable, and that’s sure to be part of why the iPhone has remained at a relatively fixed price for the last few years despite inflation and pressure from tariffs. There have been some price hikes, but these have typically come with equivalent starting storage upgrades.

Secondly, not knowing when the next iPhone is coming out could make it harder to know when to buy a current-generation iPhone. As it stands, the best time to buy a current-year iPhone is close to release day for early adopters, during Black Friday or Holiday sales for deal hunters, or after the announcement of next year’s iPhones for those who want a more predictable chance at a discount price.

With an unpredictable release schedule, customers-to-be would have only rumors, hunches, and external sale periods to base their purchasing patterns on. It would be disappointing to, say, pick up an iPhone in April only to have the next generation announced and released in May.

All of this is deep in the realm of speculation and opinion – Apple hasn’t shared anything about its iPhone release strategy, though there are rumors of a staggered schedule beginning next year. For now, be sure to check out our iPhone 17 review, iPhone 17 Pro review, iPhone 17 Pro Max review, and iPhone Air review, and let us know what you think of Apple’s latest smartphone lineup in the comments below.

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