The iPhone Air launched with much fanfare earlier this fall, boasting a chassis just 5.6mm thick and weighing a mere 165g (5.8 ounces)–making it by some distance the lightest smartphone Apple has ever made. But reports suggest customers haven’t been won over.
Maybe Apple should take this as a sign that lightweight phones are not wanted. And a new report claims that next year’s batch will include what is essentially the anti-iPhone Air: the heaviest iPhone Apple has ever made.
The Weibo account Instant Digital yesterday posted about the iPhone 18 Pro Max, due for launch in September 2026, and predicted that it will weigh more than 240g (roughly 8.5 ounces). That will put it ahead of the 240g iPhone 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max handsets, which jointly hold the record. It further clarifies that the device will be around 10g heavier and slightly thicker than its predecessor, the 17 Pro Max.
“Apple finally understands,” the account adds (via Google translation). “Don’t bother with online opinions about thinner, lighter, or mini models; those won’t sell unless you cram everything in… Users won’t stop buying just because it’s heavy.”
It certainly seems that they won’t choose to buy just because it’s light. Customers judge on the basis of features far more than dimensions, and the 18-series iPhones coming next year should have plenty to offer in that regard. With ten months to go details remain hazy, but we’re already hearing that camera upgrades and a shrunk-down Dynamic Island are on the cards, along with a super-powerful 2nm A20 chip and new modems. And the 18 Pro Max, of course, will have top-end battery life, far surpassing that of the iPhone Air.
For all the latest news and rumors as we move steadily towards fall 2026, check our regularly updated iPhone 18 superguide. Or if you can’t wait that long, read our guide to the best iPhone deals to make sure you’re getting the lowest price on the current range.
Author: David Price, Editor, Macworld
David has been writing about technology for well over two decades, and got on board the Apple hype train when covering the original iPhone launch in 2007. He is an enthusiastic Apple Watch evangelist and feels that the HomePod is misunderstood.