The iPhone Air launched in September 2025 to a mixed reception. Slim, titanium-framed, and priced from around £999 in the UK, it sat between the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro in Apple's line-up. Ten months on, it holds the unwanted record of the fastest-depreciating iPhone in recent memory — and a fresh wave of value compression is coming in weeks, not months.
The Numbers: How Bad Is the iPhone Air's Depreciation?
SellCell's comprehensive study examined 52 iPhone models since the iPhone 14 series, finding that the iPhone Air experienced depreciation rates reaching up to 47.7%, marking the worst resale drop of any iPhone since 2022. That is not a rounding error — it is nearly half the device's retail price, gone in ten weeks.
The numbers break down by storage tier. Based on the data, the Air has already lost between 40.3% and 47.7% of its initial value depending on the storage trim. The 256GB base model is now 40.3% cheaper on the used market, the 512GB trim lost 45%, and the 1TB model — which retailed for $1,399 — will only get you $668 right now. Apply similar proportions to UK pricing and the maths is stark.
For context, the entire iPhone 17 line-up averages a loss of only 34.6%, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB variant has lost just 26.1%. The Air performs 12.4% worse than the iPhone 15, 7.7% worse than the iPhone 14, and 5.3% worse than the iPhone 16 at the same ten-week point post-launch. Every single predecessor outperformed it.
Why Is the iPhone Air Losing Value So Fast?
The short answer: buyers were never fully convinced, and the secondary market reflects that. The iPhone Air appears to have struggled from the outset, with coverage pointing to softer sales and lower production expectations. When a device has weak primary sales, fewer people want it used either — and trade-in buyers price that risk in quickly.
As Apple's slimmest iPhone, it is just 5.64mm thick — one of the reasons why it is eSIM-only worldwide, the first time Apple has forced an eSIM-only model outside of the United States. For a chunk of UK buyers, particularly those on carriers that have been slow to push eSIM adoption, that is a meaningful friction point. Add in a single camera lens and a 3,149 mAh battery at a price that originally competed with the Pro, and you can see why demand softened. The widening gap between the iPhone Air and the rest of the line-up suggests market concerns around the Air's long-term desirability.
There is also a structural factor. The regular iPhone Air 2 is not expected to be announced until around March 2027, as part of Apple's new split-up launch strategy. On paper that sounds like good news for Air owners — no immediate successor. In practice, it means the Air is also missing from the September halo effect that normally props up older-generation values when buyers compare new versus near-new. Instead, all the attention and upgrade spend this autumn goes to the Pro.
Should I Sell My iPhone Air Before iPhone 18?
Yes, and the window is short. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said September 8 or September 9 are the most likely dates for the iPhone 18 event. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are slated for release on Friday, September 18. That is five to six weeks away from the time of writing.
Why does a Pro launch hurt the Air's value? Because the steepest drop in used iPhone prices happens in the first week after Apple announces the next iPhone. Even when the new model is not a direct replacement, the announcement triggers a psychological reset: buyers pause, sellers panic, and offers from trade-in platforms drop overnight. Depreciation slows after six months, so knowing the curve and selling ahead of a launch is the key to maximising what you get — selling before a new model launches locks in the current depreciation curve, which is typically the highest available.
The Air is already deep in its depreciation curve. A second shock — the iPhone 18 Pro announcement, plus the first foldable iPhone stealing every headline — will likely push offers lower still. The iPhone 18 Pro will be the exclusive gateway to the full suite of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features, as iOS 27's advanced capabilities require 12GB of RAM — a strategy that could devalue the iPhone 17 generation quickly once AI becomes standard. The Air, for all its A19 Pro chip, risks being seen as a yesterday phone by October.
If you own an iPhone Air and have been sitting on the fence, getting a quote now makes more sense than waiting to see what September does to the numbers.
Is the iPhone Air Worth Buying Second Hand in the UK?
Actually, yes — at the right price, it is one of the more interesting refurbished buys going into late 2026. The depreciation that hurts sellers is exactly what creates an opportunity for buyers.
Compared to the iPhone 17, the iPhone Air is thinner, larger, and lighter, with a titanium frame, 12GB of RAM, and an A19 Pro chip. Core specs include the A19 Pro processor, a 6.5-inch 120Hz ProMotion display, a 48MP rear Fusion camera, and Wi-Fi 7. That is a genuinely fast, premium phone. The trade-offs — single rear camera, smaller battery, eSIM-only — were dealbreakers at £999. At a significantly lower used price, the calculus changes.
There is one nuance worth knowing. The SellCell data that underpins most depreciation headlines was analysed using real-time trade-in prices from more than 40 buyback companies — so these are trade-in values, not open-market resale prices. Private eBay sales and refurbished retail prices tend to hold a little higher than trade-in quotes. That means buyers browsing refurbished stock in the UK can realistically expect to find Air units at a material discount to their original retail price — but sellers comparing trade-in quotes should not assume the open market is quite as dire.
For most people, the sweet spot is buying a refurbished Air from a reputable seller rather than a private listing. You get a graded, tested device with warranty rather than a stranger's trade-in story. With no iPhone Air 2 until spring 2027 at the earliest, the current model will receive software support for years — it is not going anywhere fast, even if its value is.
Browse our current refurbished iPhone stock to see what we have in at today's prices, or check how we grade every device so you know exactly what condition means before you buy.
The Bottom Line
- Own an iPhone Air? The iPhone 18 Pro announcement (likely 8–9 September) will push trade-in values lower, possibly sharply. Selling now gets ahead of that drop.
- Looking to buy? The Air's brutal depreciation means it is now available well below its original RRP. Buy refurbished from a graded seller, not a private punt, and you get a powerful, slim flagship for far less than launch price.
- Upgrading to an iPhone 18 Pro? Factor the Air's current value into your budget sooner rather than later — it will not improve once Apple takes the stage.
If you want a quote for your iPhone Air, head to our sell page — we collect from your door across the North East and Manchester, verify with PhoneCheck, and pay instantly.
