Apple May Address iPhone Air's Biggest Flaw With Next-Gen Model
Love it or not, the iPhone Air is a fantastic piece of engineering (see our iPhone Air review), especially aesthetically. However, while the iPhone Air has been celebrated for its 5.6mm profile, it has been criticized by photography enthusiasts (us included) for its single 48-megapixel camera. As Apple preps the second generation, however, rumor mills have been rife over one of the biggest possible upgrades: a dual rear-camera system.
Leaker Digital Chat Station, who has a solid history of accurate Apple information, claims that the late-2026 iPhone Air 2 could finally pair the existing 48MP shooter with a 48MP ultra-wide lens possibly without altering the design and profile. Obviously, having the ultra-wide would bring added versatility, but popping a camera module might present an engineering challenge (again, assuming the size of the phone stays roughly the same).
Apple had ingeniously used the horizontal camera hump to house nearly all its core components, including the single camera and logic board, thereby opening up the rest of the chassis to be dedicated to the battery. Squeezing a second 48MP sensor plus optics into this already restricted space while maintaining the Air’s signature ultra-thin design (which many sources suggest will remain unchanged) will require a massive internal overhaul. Leaked renders suggest the device will keep the horizontal camera bar element, with the two cameras located side-by-side.
Packaging-wise, the easiest solution would be moving from a lithium-ion cell (that the iPhone Air uses) to a more compact silicon carbon pack. Prior rumors of the first gen using the new battery tech have been a bust, but could Apple drop it in the Air 2?
JP Morgan believes the iPhone Air 2 is very much planned
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) November 5, 2025
JP Morgan and most bank analysts are VERY good at getting information like this from supply chain https://t.co/JoZfrhG1tr pic.twitter.com/5YHLHQL5jF
In another bit of related iPhone news, a leaked roadmap sheds new light on the company's long-awaited foray into the flexible smartphone market, confirming a foldable iPhone slated for launch in the second half of 2026.
This book-style foldable will reportedly feature a dual 4 MP rear camera array (main and ultra-wide) mirroring the Air 2 setup. Perhaps the most interesting detail for the foldable, however, is the specification for its front-facing cameras. The device is tipped to sport a 24MP selfie cam on its external cover display and a 24MP under-display unit on its unfolded inner screen. Crucially, the foldable iPhone may launch without Face ID, relying instead on the under-display technology or a side-mounted sensor for authentication.
Both the iPhone Air 2 and the Foldable iPhone are expected to be powered by the next-generation A20 Pro chipset, built on TSMC’s 2nm process.
