Everyone knew it would happen at some point – the moment Apple introduced a completely new iPhone, a category of its own, with a name that embodies an ideology: iPhone Air. The choice of name is no coincidence. It takes us back to January 2008, to the stage where Steve Jobs pulled the first MacBook Air out of a thin envelope and showed the world how a tech product could redefine what it means to be light, thin, and elegant.
Seventeen years later, that inspiration returns – this time in the world of smartphones. The iPhone Air carries the same idea: No more endless race after technical specifications, but a bold design statement. Those who choose it do so not for another camera or extra hours of battery life, but out of a desire to hold something different – an iPhone that feels as if it came from the future, light almost like a fragile branch, but reinforced with a titanium frame that removes any thought of fragility.
On paper, it offers less for more: Shorter battery life, only a single camera, and an additional $200 compared to the regular iPhone 17. But anyone who picks it up will understand immediately – this is not just another phone. It is a phone with a mission: To push the boundaries of Apple’s engineering and design, to put style at the forefront, and to start pointing toward an even more radical move expected later. And in this case, we were lucky – the device arrived to us for a 24-hour review from the iStore network, and we managed to test it before anyone else, to tell you how it really feels.
ID card
Usually, a new iPhone needs no explanation – it’s just another chapter in the series the whole world knows. But the iPhone Air is a completely different story. On one hand, it could be seen as a direct continuation of the 16 Plus, but in practice it plays by entirely different rules: Its display is smaller (6.5 inches compared to 6.7), it comes with only a single rear camera instead of two, and it costs no less than $999 – a higher price both compared to the previous model at launch and even after price cuts. The logic here is not in specification charts, but in the desire to create an iPhone that looks and feels different.
The choice of the A19 Pro chip – almost identical to the one powering the Pro models – may be the biggest surprise. Apple did not give up processing power, only excess features aimed at those who want “more of everything.” The message is clear: This is a device that sacrifices in order to look and feel extremely thin, but at the same time maintains flagship-level performance. Ultimately, the Air seeks to be not just a product, but a statement – a bridge to the next era of iPhone, where style and design stand at the forefront no less than technology.
Design
You cannot understand the iPhone Air until you hold it in your hand. When I first lifted it, I wondered if it was a real device or just a dummy model like the ones placed in stores. It is so thin – only 5.6 mm – and so light at 165 g, that my mind refused to believe this is a fully functioning smartphone. Compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, which weighs 206 g and is almost 9 mm thick, the difference is felt every second.
Although my personal device is the Max model (for the battery), I usually prefer devices in the 6.1–6.3 inch range, ones that can be easily used one-handed and slipped into a pocket without sticking out. Still, the iPhone Air with its 6.5-inch screen manages to feel smaller than it actually is. Perhaps it’s a matter of weight distribution, perhaps the thin profile, but it sits naturally in the palm. Yes, some will be drawn to the giant 6.9-inch display of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but for me that already feels like an oversized “tank.” Here, I get a big screen without feeling like I’m carrying a brick in my pocket.
Naturally, such thinness raises concerns about durability – memories of iPhone 6’s “Bendgate” still echo. But this time Apple left no room for doubt. The titanium frame is incredibly sturdy, and the new Ceramic Shield 2 coating in the front together with Ceramic Shield on the back create a device far more durable than expected. Apple itself demonstrated that the device withstands pressure of over 60 kg without damage. This is not an iPhone you can bend easily, and the initial suspicion that it feels “cheap” due to its lightness quickly disappears – it feels solid, sturdy, and premium.
Still, there are compromises. There is no SIM tray, and instead of two stereo speakers there is only a single mono speaker – clear and loud, but less full. The rear camera, though housed in a horizontal Pixel-style bar, still protrudes enough to make the device “wobble” on a table when pressed from the side. A small flaw, but noticeable.
Display
Let’s talk about the display. Some people dig into every tiny technical spec, but honestly? Most of us don’t remember the exact figures anymore, nor is there a need. In recent years, flagship smartphone displays have reached such a high level that it’s hard to innovate further. In this respect, the iPhone Air is no exception – it comes with the same display specs as the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
That doesn’t mean there’s disappointment – on the contrary. This is an excellent Super Retina XDR display. It’s sharp, colorful, and rich, with deep blacks that only OLED can produce. Viewing angles are excellent, and even under strong Israeli sunlight the screen remains clearly readable thanks to brightness peaking at 3,000 nits. Add the new anti-reflection coating – and it really does reduce the annoying glare you know when looking at the screen outdoors.
Like the rest of the iPhone 17 family, it supports refresh rates up to 120 Hz – what Apple calls ProMotion – and also an always-on display. The Dynamic Island is placed slightly lower than in other models, but in practice it’s hardly noticeable. Bottom line, this is one of the best screens you can find today on a smartphone, period.
Heavy performance in a thin build
It would be easy to assume such a thin device would require performance compromises, but in real tests that simply didn’t happen. Apple could have opted for a weaker chip here but chose the A19 Pro – the same desktop-class chip (according to Apple) that powers the Pro models in the iPhone 17 series, with a six-core processor. The only difference compared to the Pro is one fewer GPU core, something almost unnoticeable in daily use.
As expected, the A19 Pro is almost excessively powerful. It clearly outperforms even the strongest Android devices based on Snapdragon 8 Elite. Do we really need all this power for browsing, messaging, emails, video, and photos? Not necessarily. But anyone playing heavy games or working with graphic apps that require the new accelerators will definitely benefit. In AI as well – Apple Intelligence may still be unimpressive, but if the company manages to implement its plans in the coming year, this power will become a real advantage.
That said, most iPhone Air users probably won’t push it to the limit. Those seeking maximum performance over time should prefer the iPhone 17 Pro, which also includes a larger cooling chamber. Here, due to the thin body, there is less room for heat dissipation. Apple solved this smartly by moving the processor and other main components to the plateau – the elliptical bump on the back that also houses the camera. Still, overall it feels exactly like an iPhone should – only in a remarkably thin build – so iPhone users will feel right at home.
Single camera
The camera is perhaps where Apple’s change of approach with the iPhone Air is most noticeable. After years of triple-camera setups on Pro models, here there is a return to simplicity: Just one rear camera. It is a 48-megapixel sensor, the same used as the main camera on the regular iPhone 17. Apple calls it the Fusion camera, because it combines sensor data to produce default 24-megapixel high-quality images.
Despite having only one lens, there is impressive flexibility: The camera lets you choose virtually between different focal lengths – 26 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, and 52 mm, with the latter simulating high-quality 2x optical zoom. The result is a photography experience that covers most daily needs. Photos are sharp, with wide dynamic range and accurate colors, and overall look excellent – especially considering most users upload them to social networks or send them in messages. Yes, sometimes you miss the ultra-wide lens or the telephoto lens of Pro models, but for 99% of uses – the single camera of the iPhone Air does an excellent job. Still, it’s hard to ignore that Samsung, for example, manages to include an extra wide lens in a phone just as thin.
Upgraded selfie camera
For me, the real star here is the selfie camera. This is the first time Apple upgrades the entire lineup from 12 MP to 18 MP, and the Air enjoys it from its very first model. The upgrade comes with Center Stage technology, which truly changes the way we photograph ourselves. The square sensor adapts to the orientation in which the device is held – so you can take a horizontal selfie even when the iPhone is held vertically, or a vertical selfie when held horizontally. The result – more natural selfies that look much better.
This technology also works in video, making it far more useful. In addition, Apple added a new mode called Dual Capture, which allows shooting simultaneously with the rear camera and the selfie camera, producing a picture-in-picture effect. It’s a perfect solution for creating reaction clips or videos where you want to show both what’s happening and your personal reaction in real time.
Battery life
The elephant in the room with the iPhone Air is the battery. Clearly, such a thin device cannot contain a huge cell like the Pro models, and physics is physics – less space means less battery capacity. Apple promises up to 27 hours of continuous video playback, three hours less than the regular iPhone 17 and 12 hours less than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. On paper that sounds like a big gap, but in practice it is much less noticeable.
During the 24 hours I had the device, it was hard to run a full-day continuous video test like Apple’s official checks. However, the difference compared to the iPhone 17 Pro I reviewed in parallel could be felt: The Air heats up more under intensive use, and that heat translates into higher energy consumption. This means the battery drains faster in demanding situations like gaming or long video calls.
Still, this does not make the iPhone Air a disappointing device in terms of battery life. Apple managed to balance here between a thin, impressive build and operating time that holds up well considering physics. Just as with the first MacBook Air, which did not excel in battery at the start but later became a leader – so too can we expect that future iPhone Air generations will mature into models with stronger battery life.
Bottom line
The iPhone Air is not meant for everyone – and it doesn’t try to be. It’s not for those looking for the most advanced camera system or the longest possible battery life. This is a smartphone for those who value above all design, lightness, and style, and are willing to compromise a little on extra cameras or extra hours of battery.
This device is far beyond just being “thin.” It pushes Apple to think differently, to find more efficient engineering solutions, and to create a user experience that combines real power in a package that seems almost impossible. The result is a fast, elegant, beautiful phone that feels as much like a fashion item as it does a tech device.
Yes, the battery is a compromise – the inevitable trade-off when designing such a thin smartphone – but in my opinion, it’s an acceptable one. Those who prefer a particularly light device, one that doesn’t weigh down a pocket or hand, and want the familiar iPhone experience in a fresh new package – will feel right at home. The iPhone Air is not just another model in the series, but a clear statement about the direction Apple is heading – and likely also the first taste of the future that awaits us.