At face value, it might seem like the Air is the least popular of the iPhone 17 lineup. The specs were noticeably worse than those of others in the lineup, yet still noticeably expensive (we can't all be as good as the iPhone 17 Pro Max). However, according to new research conducted by Ookla, the iPhone Air is considered to be twice as popular as the iPhone 16 Plus.
When compared to the iPhone 16 Plus during its launch period, the iPhone Air more than doubled the Plus model’s numbers. I’ll be the first to say that I was sad to see the Plus moniker phased out. It was the reliable middle child that could be counted on, with less compromise than the Air.
However, Apple still considers it a success.
A new report from Ookla uses crowdsourced Speedtest data to measure the real-world usage of the Speedtest app on iPhones. Sales numbers from the iPhone Air and iPhone 16 Plus are approximated by comparing the quantities of provided Speedtest samples. The 16 Plus totalled less than 3% of usage during the iPhone 16 launch window in late 2024. The iPhone 16 came in at a slightly higher 5.9%, while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max took home the gold with a whopping 34% and 56%, respectively.
From the iPhone 17 lineup’s release in late 2025 to now, the base model and iPhone 17 Pro Max usage numbers have remained largely unchanged. However, the biggest surprise was the iPhone Air, which racked up 6.8% of usage. The iPhone Air’s thinner chassis was a hit among Singaporeans in particular, with the share of iPhone 17 samples rising even further to 8.4%.
When compared year on year to the 16 Plus, the Air more than doubled the Plus’ numbers. This seemed to come at the expense of the iPhone 17 Pro, though, which fell from 34.9% to 30.6%.
Are people really trading in the better camera and snappy processor of the iPhone 17 Pro for a device on Ozempic? Or is the iPhone Air here to stay?
If you're in the market for a new iPhone, consider the latest iPhone 17 lineup on a plan from popular providers in our engine.
iPhone 17 256GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
iPhone 17 Air 256GB
- 6.5 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
iPhone 17 Pro 256GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
iPhone 17 Air 512GB
- 6.5 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB
- 6.9 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
iPhone 17 Pro 512GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Apple iOS 26
- 5G Capable
