### Summary
– Apple’s iPhone Air sees significant price reductions during the New Year’s sale, dropping from 7,999 yuan to 5,499 yuan.
– Merchants express reluctance to recycle the iPhone Air due to low demand, leading to steep declines in its second-hand value.
– The iPhone Air’s underwhelming sales performance has prompted Apple to enforce aggressive promotional strategies.
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In a notable development, Apple’s Tmall flagship store recently unveiled a New Year’s sale featuring the iPhone Air, dropping its original price of 7,999 yuan by an impressive 2,000 yuan. This brings the starting price to an appealing 5,499 yuan, especially with additional national subsidies incentivizing buyers.
### Significant Price Reductions
While Apple has engaged in minor promotions in the past, the substantial discount on the iPhone Air marks a milestone, setting a new record for price reductions on newly launched iPhone models during this festive selling period. This aggressive pricing strategy illustrates Apple’s commitment to revitalizing interest in the iPhone Air, particularly after its lackluster sales performance post-launch.
### Market Response
Reports indicate that many merchants at Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei Electronics Market are hesitant to recycle the iPhone Air. They voice concerns that the device is increasingly “difficult to sell,” reflecting a broader worry about the model’s market viability. The sharp price cuts have concurrently triggered a significant decline in the recycling value of the iPhone Air. Once valued at over 6,000 yuan, its current worth has plummeted to around 4,000 yuan.
Some merchants speculate that if Apple sustains these promotional efforts, the second-hand and recycling prices for the iPhone Air could further diminish.
### Underwhelming Sales Performance
At the heart of this pricing strategy is the disappointing sales performance of the iPhone Air. As of January 24, 2026, cumulative activation figures reveal that fewer than 200,000 units have been activated in China, with only about 50,000 to 55,000 units activated in the initial week post-launch. Notably, iPhone Air sales accounted for less than 3% of the overall sales during the same time frame, indicative of a worrying trend.
### Product Specifications
The iPhone Air, released in September 2025, boasts remarkable features that include a slim profile of just 5.6 mm and a lightweight design of only 165 grams, making it Apple’s thinnest iPhone to date. The device is equipped with a vibrant 6.5-inch display, a robust 48-megapixel single rear camera, and operates on the advanced A19 Pro chip, complemented by Apple’s new C1X baseband technology.
### Conclusion
The drastic pricing adjustments and market dynamics surrounding the iPhone Air unveil complex challenges for Apple as it navigates the competitive landscape of smartphone sales. Customer reactions and changing market conditions will undoubtedly shape the future strategies of one of the world’s leading tech companies.
As the tech world observes these developments, it illustrates the critical intersection of pricing, sales performance, and consumer demand that can define the trajectory of innovative products in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
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### Final Thoughts
This New Year’s sale highlights not only Apple’s pricing strategies but also consumer sentiment toward new launches. Retailers’ reluctance to recycle the iPhone Air emphasizes the need for Apple to reassess its market approach if it aims to bolster both sales and brand loyalty in the long run.
