Trouble in Paradise? iPhone Air Designer Leaves Apple for AI Startup

Wednesday, 19 November 2025 at 04:49

Apple's latest bet with a fourth variant in the iPhone series was the iPhone Air. The thinnest-ever iPhone was introduced to replace the Plus variant, which had not been very succesful since its first iteration. The Plus variant? It came to replace the failed iPhone mini series. All these variations came to fill a cursed spot in the iPhone series. It seems that not even the sleek variant will be able to succeed in this commercial game. Following several reports highlighting that the iPhone Air isn't selling as expected, a new report states that Abid Chowdhury, a key designer who worked on the iPhone Air, has left the company.

iPhone Air Team Takes A Hit With the Exit of A Key Designer

If the iPhone Air was a huge success, we don't think that one of its key designers would be leaving just a few months after the launch of this new variant. The insiders state that, while he wasn't the only driving force behind the design, his departure has had an impact on the design team. Interestingly, he was so important in this iPhone's concept that he even appeared in the iPhone Air introductory video. The designer left the company to join an unnamed AI startup, according to Bloomberg.

Chowdhury joined Apple around six years ago, around the same time that popular designer Jony Ive left to form his own creative agency called LoveFrom. Another project that Ive been involved in, called io, was bought by OpenAI.

iPhone Air's Sales Are Underwhelming, But The Air 2 is not Scrapped

Despite all the coincidences, the iPhone Air's underwhelming sales are unrelated to why Chowdhury left Apple. If there is trouble in paradise, Apple will never say a line. The company never explicitly confirmed the commercial failure of the iPhone Mini or the iPhone Plus variants. Similarly, it does not say a word about the iPhone Air sales. Moreover, it seems to be throwing in the towel at this point. The iPhone Air 2 is reportedly delayed, but not cancelled.

It seems that the consumer market is not ready yet for these super-thin smartphones. Or perhaps, it's the hardware in these devices that isn't ready yet. Both Apple and Samsung, with the Galaxy S25 Edge, made compromises in design to push these devices. It seems that consumers are not happily sacrificing battery life for a thin smartphone. There is still hope for devices of this kind, considering the advancements in battery technology. However, neither Samsung nor Apple is the brand involved in this push.

iPhone Air - Key Specs

156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm, 165 g, Ceramic Shield 2 front and back, grade 5 titanium frame
eSIM only (up to 8 profiles, 2 active), IP68 rating
6.5-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 3000 nits peak, Ceramic Shield 2 protection
Apple A19 Pro chip, iOS 26, Hexa-core CPU, Apple 5-core GPU
12GB RAM with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB NVMe storage
48MP main camera with OIS, 4K Dolby Vision video
18MP selfie with SL 3D sensor and 4K video
Stereo speakers, no headphone jack
Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, full GNSS support, USB-C 2.0
Face ID, UWB gen2, satellite SOS, and Find My
3149mAh battery with 50 percent charge in 30 minutes (wired or MagSafe)
4.5W reverse wired charging