According to Ookla analytics, based on real smartphone usage in cellular networks, iPhone Air turned out to be roughly twice as popular as iPhone 16 Plus over a comparable period after launch. And this comes amid rumors that Apple has actively begun developing a second generation iPhone Air, which will outperform the current one in every way. It seems Apple has finally managed to create a fourth iPhone model that buyers actually want.
Plus was bigger and had better battery life, but people are voting with their wallets for Air. Image: phonearena.com
Which iPhone Is More Popular: iPhone Air or iPhone 16 Plus
Ookla — the company behind the popular Speedtest app — collects anonymized data on smartphone usage in cellular networks. By comparing the share of each iPhone model among all speed tests, you can estimate how actively a particular device is being purchased.
iPhone Air is twice as popular as the Plus model it replaced. Image: ookla.com
During the iPhone 16 launch period in fall 2024, the iPhone 16 Plus accounted for less than 3% of all speed tests. For comparison: the base iPhone 16 scored 5.9%, while the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max dominated with 34% and 56% respectively. Plus was the clear underperformer of the lineup.
In the equivalent window of 2026, iPhone Air captured 6.8% — nearly three times more than Plus a year ago. Meanwhile, the shares of the base iPhone 17 and Pro Max remained virtually unchanged. The growth of Air apparently came at the expense of iPhone 17 Pro, whose share dropped from 34.9% to 30.6%.
iPhone Air — Who Actually Needed Apple’s New Thin Smartphone
iPhone Air is currently at roughly the same level as the base iPhone 17 in terms of user numbers. But analysts make an important caveat: among the first Air buyers, there are surely more tech enthusiasts who grab the new device right after launch. Over time, the gap between Air and the base model may widen — not in Air’s favor.
The device turned out to be really very thin. Image: macrumors.com
Nevertheless, this is a good result for Apple. The company spent several years trying to find the right format for a fourth iPhone model: first there was Mini (too niche), then Plus (not different enough from the base version). iPhone Air, based on early data, has finally found a meaningful place in the lineup.
iPhone Air: Popularity by Country
Interestingly, outside the US, iPhone Air turned out to be even more popular. Here’s how its share looks across different countries:
iPhone Air popularity varies noticeably by region
- South Korea — 11.2% (the highest figure)
- Japan, Sweden, Singapore — also noticeably higher than in the US
- USA — 6.8%
The reasons for this spread are not disclosed in the report, but the fact remains: in several Asian and European markets, Air performed even better than in Apple’s home region.
iPhone Air or Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Which Is Better
Ookla also compared iPhone Air with its direct competitor — Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which also bets on a thin body. The result is clear-cut: in the US, iPhone Air attracted more than three times as many users as the Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple is confidently winning this niche for now.
Even though Air has only one camera, it turned out more popular than Samsung. Image: cnn.com
Moreover, Samsung has already abandoned the Edge lineup, limiting it to a single device, while Apple, by all accounts, is developing a second-generation iPhone Air that will be better than the first in every way. So the smartphone has clearly found its audience, which is great news. But it’s a shame about the Plus. Those were great devices.
C1X Modem in iPhone Air — What About 5G Speed
And the device also has a top-tier display. Image: arstechnica.com
A separate piece of good news for those who were worried about Apple’s in-house modem. The iPhone Air features the C1X modem — the second generation of Apple’s own connectivity chip. According to Ookla, 5G download speeds on the iPhone Air are nearly identical to what the iPhone 17 Pro shows with its Qualcomm modem.
This is serious progress compared to the first C1 modem in the iPhone 16e. However, in upload speeds, the Air still trails the Pro models. But in typical scenarios — streaming, loading pages, downloading files — the difference for the user will be minimal.
For those considering the iPhone Air, these data points are rather encouraging. The model turned out to be noticeably more popular than Plus — meaning Apple will continue developing this direction. The in-house modem performs at a level close to Qualcomm, which addresses the main concern about connectivity quality. If you’re choosing between iPhone Air and the base iPhone 17, the popularity difference is minimal for now — the decision should be based on specific specs and price, not sales trends.
