The iPhone Air represents a stunning blend of technology and design, prompting the question, “What sacrifices are you ready to make for an ultra-lightweight, sleek device?”
More than just a marvel of engineering, the Air signifies a minimalist approach, condensing the iPhone experience into a premium chassis with essential features.
By eliminating the rear camera, reducing battery size, and forgoing stereo speakers while maximizing screen real estate, what remains is a striking combination of titanium and glass.
The cost reflects this craftsmanship. Priced at £999 (€1,199/$999/AU$1,799), the iPhone Air sits between the standard iPhone 17 at £799 and the £1,099 17 Pro variant.
The sleek design is subtly disrupted by a raised camera lens, adding to the phone’s overall thickness of around 11.3mm, reminiscent of Google’s Pixel series. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Images alone fail to showcase the Air’s beauty. Upon handling it, one immediately recognizes it as something unique. The slender 5.64 mm frame feels even lighter due to its rounded edges, making it 12 g lighter than the already featherweight iPhone 17.
The glass rear constitutes the majority of the phone’s structure, while the remainder houses the battery. Traditional iPhone buttons, including those for camera control and actions, line the sides. The top features only the ear speaker. While adequate, you’ll find the absence of stereo sound disappointing during video playback—especially since the 6.5-inch screen delivers a crisp and vibrant viewing experience.
Functionally, the Air operates like any contemporary iPhone. It features a glass-like aesthetic, runs iOS 26, offers all standard apps, includes Face ID, and boasts a highly responsive interface. However, it has a notable drawback: the iPhone Air lacks a nano SIM card tray, operating solely on eSim. In the U.S., Apple has only supported eSim since the iPhone 14, while earlier models sold in other regions included nano SIM slots.
The profiling of the phone’s edges is only marginally thicker than the buttons themselves. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Most major networks in the UK now support eSim; however, experiences with setup and transitions between devices can vary, especially among budget providers. Mobile network companies must enhance their eSim services to ensure wider accessibility.
Specifications
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Screen: 6.5 inch Super Retina XDR (120Hz OLED) (460ppi)
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Processor: Apple A19 Pro (5 core GPU)
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RAM: 12GB
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Storage: 256, 512GB, or 1TB
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Operating System: iOS 26
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Camera: Rear 48MP, 18MP front
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Connectivity: 5G eSim only, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6, Thread, USB-C, Satellite, UWB, GNSS
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Water Resistance: IP68 (30 minutes at 6 meters)
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Size: 156.2×74.7×5.64mm
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Weight: 165g
A19 Pro Chip
The Air takes approximately 105 minutes to charge fully, reaching 60% within 35 minutes using a 20W or higher USB-C power adapter (sold separately). Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Air is equipped with the same A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone 17 Pro, though it contains one less GPU core—resulting in somewhat slower performance during gaming and graphics-intensive activities. For routine tasks, it feels swift, yet the camera protrusions can cause it to warm up noticeably when under strain.
The reduced battery capacity marks a significant trade-off for the Air’s thin profile, despite much of the structure being allocated for the battery. Battery life is less than other iPhones, but surprisingly adequate. A moderate day with 5 hours of usage for browsing and video streaming on Wi-Fi saw the Air comfortably last 40 hours between charges.
A Qi2 or MagSafe magnetic wireless charger, like the Twelve South Power Bug, could significantly enhance daily usage of the Air. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
On more hectic days filled with photography, 5G navigation, music streaming, messaging, and videos, the Air maintained about 30 hours of life, ending the day with around 25% of the battery remaining. A full overnight charge should suffice for most daily demands, but those heavily into gaming or intense tasks might find themselves requiring low-power mode.
Sustainability
The sleek design of the Air includes a replaceable battery that may require changing after about 1,000 charge cycles. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The battery lasts over 1,000 full charge cycles with at least 80% of its original capacity remaining; replacement costs £109 and is not covered by warranty. The screen repair costs £349. iFixit rated the iPhone Air a 7 out of 10 for repairability.
The Air comprises over 35% recycled materials, including aluminum, cobalt, gold, lithium, rare earth elements, steel, tin, titanium, and tungsten. Apple outlines the environmental implications of mobile devices in its annual report, and offers trade-in and complimentary recycling options, even for non-Apple products.
Camera
While functioning like other iPhone cameras, the Air is somewhat limited due to the absence of ultra-wide and telephoto options. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The camera represents a significant compromise. It features a single 48MP camera at the back and an upgraded 18MP selfie camera at the front, using Center Stage technology from the iPhone 17 series.
The primary camera parallels that of the standard iPhone 17 rather than the larger sensor of the 17 Pro, yet it delivers commendable performance. It captures impressive photos and videos in good lighting and handles dim indoor environments reasonably well. At times the images may appear soft and grainy. While it doesn’t often win awards, it typically produces satisfactory photos. A 2x crop zoom is available, excellent for brightly lit scenes, but further zooming reveals the downsides of a digital zoom—textures and distant subjects tend to lose clarity.
The Air’s zoom capacity is satisfactory in bright conditions, but is prone to detail loss when focusing on further objects. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The absence of ultra-wide and telephoto capabilities restricts creative options for photography. The only other iPhone model with a single rear camera is the more budget-friendly iPhone 16e.
The 18MP front camera dynamically pans and zooms to capture group shots, allowing you to take landscape selfies without rotating your device. This feature is particularly useful. Moreover, it enables simultaneous video recording from both the front and rear cameras, placing you in the frame within a small window.
Price
The iPhone Air starts at £999 (€1,199/$999/AU$1,799) and includes 256GB of storage.
For perspective, the iPhone 16e comes in at £599, the iPhone 17 at £799, the iPhone 17 Pro at £1,099, the 17 Pro Max at £1,199, and the Google Pixel 10 retails for £1,199. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge sells for £899 and the Fairphone 6 is priced at £899, with the Fairphone 6 available for £499.
Verdict
The iPhone Air is a notable design that effectively addresses a specific need. Many have wished that contemporary smartphones would focus on being thinner rather than just emphasizing battery life or camera quality.
The remarkably thin design feels distinctive at first, but the novelty quickly diminishes. Similar to Samsung’s equally slender Galaxy S25 Edge, the primary advantage lies in reducing weight, enhancing comfort during use and storage. Despite its expansive screen, the Air remains compact and easy to carry.
Battery longevity exceeds expectations; while it performs adequately on most days, it might not hold up as well over several years. Apple offers a smart MagSafe battery that can increase its capacity by an additional 65%. However, using it can compromise the device’s thin, lightweight advantages, as would placing it in a case.
A significant limitation is the sole rear camera; the absence of ultra-wide and telephoto features can be restricting for users who rely on their phones for photography.
If you’re an Apple enthusiast seeking a slim, eye-catching device that’s easy to maneuver, the iPhone Air is a remarkable option. Otherwise, there are alternatives that might be more suitable.
Pros: Ultra-thin and lightweight, excellent display, impressive single rear camera, enhanced center stage selfie camera, superior performance, long-term software updates, and Face ID.
Cons: Lacks ultra-wide and telephoto capabilities, high price point, comparatively short battery life, best suited for use without a case, and lacks cutting-edge AI features.
The iPhone Air is visually striking and offers a unique feel compared to other models in the iPhone lineup. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Source: www.theguardian.com
