Special position of iPhone Air

iPhone 17 Air has a very thin design. Photo: The Verge .

While Chinese companies aim for quick hits and good prices to attract customers, Apple is still known for its high-end image and high-end price positioning in the market. According to analysis firm Digital Maven, this pricing strategy has helped users have a good view of the technology, design and experience of the iPhone lines.

No more "cheap iPhone" orientation

In February, Apple launched the iPhone 16E starting at $599 . The new phone replaced the iPhone SE, which started at $429 , marking a milestone where there were no iPhones priced below $500 in the Apple Store.

The iPhone 16E is considered a low-cost phone model but still integrates Apple Intelligence, a significant upgrade compared to the iPhone 15 generation that only supports AI in the Pro line. Conrad Chua, Executive Director of the MBA program at the University of Cambridge, said that Apple is no longer targeting the market under $500 , but focusing on a modern version that is cheaper than the Pro model.

Artificial intelligence isn’t the only competitive factor among smartphone makers these days. Some, like Samsung, are looking to boost sales with slimmer devices aimed at niche markets.

New price list of iPhone 17 series. Photo: Apple.

At the September 9 launch event, the prices of the entire new iPhone line were almost unchanged from last year's iPhone 16 line, in the context of Apple avoiding Mr. Trump's harshest trade tariffs.

Apple says the entire iPhone 17 lineup starts at 256GB of storage, which is a $100 increase from the iPhone 17 Pro. While that's the same as the 256GB version of the previous generation, JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee still sees this as a "hidden price increase" strategy.

In Apple's new product line, only the standard iPhone 17 still retains its starting price of $ 799. In fact, users get a "bargain" because the latest version has internal memory from 256 GB, double the starting price of the iPhone 16.

Intentions with iPhone Air

The iPhone Air is a completely new product line, measuring just 5.6mm thin and replacing the iPhone Plus line. It starts at $100 more than the iPhone Plus, but also comes with 256GB of storage.

Thus, the iPhone 17 Air has a price gap of $200 compared to the basic 17. Unlike the Pro series, the iPhone Air is not part of a hidden price increase strategy, but is clearly positioned in the high-end segment.

This shows that Apple is gradually increasing the average selling price (ASP) of the iPhone. Notably, some leaked information shows that Apple is likely to launch a foldable iPhone model with an even higher price in 2026.

The iPhone Air's ultra-thin design is said to bring a fresh look to the iPhone product line. Photo: Apple.

Apple’s move comes amid an increasingly difficult smartphone market. According to Counterpoint Research , Samsung and Apple’s sales last year were virtually “stagnant,” while China’s Xiaomi was the fastest-growing brand in 2024, ranking third globally with a 14% market share. In China, one of Apple’s key markets, smartphones priced below 6,000 yuan (about $840 ) will enjoy a 15% discount. In the middle of this year, Apple itself had to cut the price of the iPhone 16 series to be able to enjoy this discount.

Expectations for iPhone Air production have been dropping over the past few months, with supply chain sources reporting that Apple is planning to produce between 10 million and 15 million units in the second half of the year. “However, the launch of the iPhone Air with a thinner design could appeal to a broader audience than expected, even though the feature set is likely to be closer to the entry-level iPhones than the Pro models,” Chatterjee said.

After the launch event, many analysts were optimistic about the new design and the way Apple talked about the iPhone Air. PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said the slim body would make a difference when the similarities are too common in the smartphone market.

Meanwhile, Nabila Popal, senior research director of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said the iPhone Air could still be successful with its high price, due to the way Apple communicates about the product.

“Apple came late, but when they did they launched with more fanfare or better than anyone else,” said Ms. Popal.

The new iPhone product line will be available to Vietnamese customers from September 19. To ensure good prices and early delivery, users should choose reputable store chains.

TopZone is a chain of premium authorized Apple stores in Vietnam. With 2 stores meeting Apple Premium Reseller (APR) standards and more than 80 other official authorized points of sale (AAR) nationwide, located in the ecosystem of Mobile World stores, TopZone brings international standard shopping space, genuine Apple product experience and professional after-sales service. This is a reliable address for customers to confidently choose Apple devices with guaranteed quality and value.

Details of the thinnest iPhone Air ever The iPhone Air attracted all the attention when it was introduced by Apple at the same time as the iPhone 17 series, thanks to its unique ultra-thin design.

Source: https://znews.vn/vi-tri-dac-biet-cua-iphone-air-post1583780.html