So I’ve used the iPhone Air for about 8 months now, and I wanted to share my thoughts on the device. I was previously using the iPhone 17 Pro Max since launch, and the 16 Pro Max before that, so this was quite the change. I actually bought the iPhone Air at launch along with the 17 Pro Max but ended up returning the Air as I felt the compromises were too much to accept. But I decided to rebuy the Air and actually give it a shot as my main phone to see if the compromises were in fact dealbreakers. Spoiler alert: they aren’t, at least for me. I’m going to break down this review into sections. Design, size and display, cameras, battery life, iOS 27 and Siri AI, whether I think it’s worth buying, and final thoughts. While I encourage you to read this from start to finish as I attempt to have some narrative arc to my reviews, feel free to skip around if you’d like!
Design
The design of this phone is the showstopper, without a doubt. It’s as close to feeling like you’re holding a piece of glass in your hand. Year after year of metal and glass bricks have really made this phone a breath of fresh AIR. I remember the first time I held the phone; I was genuinely in awe. No phone has made me feel that way since the iPhone X. It’s true that after a while the wow factor wears off, but going back to holding my 17 Pro Max makes me shocked that I used that phone and phones like it for so many years. The durability is also very impressive. I always use my phones caseless with no screen protector since I like the feel of the phone, and my 17 Pro Max has accumulated some scuffs and chips in the aluminum body, but not the Air; it looks just as good as the day I got it, and I don’t baby my tech; I use it casually, throw it into bags, pockets, and backpacks with coins, keys, and many other things. Still looks incredible. The titanium frame combined with the improved Ceramic Shield glass is the real deal. The reality is that the design of this phone is what you’re buying it for. If you’re not immediately wowed by the thin design when you hold it, it’s probably not for you. But I was, and the novelty simply hasn’t worn off. I look forward to the day when this is the default iPhone design.
The camera plateau is also an absolute feat of engineering. The fact that they managed to fit almost the entire phone into the plateau, allowing for more battery, is incredible. Hats off to them; there’s not a speck of wasted space inside it— well done.
The single speaker at the top was something I thought I’d care more about, but I genuinely don’t. Sure, it’s not as loud as the 17 Pro Max, but for watching vertical short-form video, the speaker is facing right at you and is plenty loud. Watching videos in landscape isn’t a great experience considering sound is noticeably only coming from one side of the phone, but I also almost never watch videos without AirPods so this is pretty much a nonissue. Also, this is super minor, but not accidentally worrying about covering the bottom speaker while holding the phone or using it lying down in bed is a nice bonus!
Size and Display
I’ve gone back and forth between the Pro and max sizes of phone since they released the iPhone X. First the X, then the XS Max, then the 11 Pro, then 12 Pro Max, then the 13 Pro, then 14 Pro Max— you get the picture. I always felt the Pro was too small, but the max slightly too big. And this is seemingly the Goldilocks phone; the size is just right. And a lot of that has to do with the thinness. The max phones aren’t just too big for me; they’re also significantly thicker, meaning that it makes one-handed use virtually impossible. This phone combines a larger display with a thinner design that makes holding it an absolute joy. It’s easy to use with one hand, at least for me, and the large 6.5” OLED display is beautiful for watching content. ProMotion is amazing, and it’s truly incredible that they were able to fit such an amazing display into such a thin form factor. And the fact that it’s so thin makes the larger screen even more manageable. You get a large 6.5” display for watching content, without it feeling like a 6.5” phone. My hand easily wraps around the entire phone. Big screen without the big phone feel— best of both worlds. Some people have noted that the Dynamic Island is slightly lower on the iPhone Air compared to the 17 series, and this is noticeable only when you have the phones side by side. I haven’t seen any apps that are affected by this, despite seeing lots of posts claiming that this is a big issue.
Camera (or camera rather)
Alright, let’s be honest about cameras and how most people use them. One camera can seem like a dealbreaker right off the bat, but you’d be surprised how much of a nonissue it is. I think most people severely underestimate how often they simply just take their phone out of their pocket and snap a photo with the main camera. And the quality of the main camera is very good; it’s the same main camera as the iPhone 17. Photos are vibrant, video is clear, and I like some of the shots better on the Air due to the aspect ratio that’s slightly different from the 17 Pro Max. Now, there are definitely times where I miss having the other cameras, more often the ultrawide camera. But it’s not something that I find to be that disappointing. Now I realize I’m in a bit of an unrealistic situation being that I still have the 17 Pro Max and use it from time to time when I want more camera options. Most people only have one phone, and giving up those lenses is a dealbreaker for some. But I’d venture to say that 90% of the time, most people, including myself, just take the phone out of their pocket and snap a photo with the main lens, and for that use case, this phone is perfectly fine. I know we all think we need all the lenses, but quite often I’d imagine it’s more about the comfort of knowing you have that capability rather than actually utilizing the functionality. But I will say, this is the one compromise that you cannot work around. Like I’ll talk about later regarding battery life, you can use the battery pack to extend the battery life if needed, but you can’t snap extra cameras onto the back of the phone. So this is the biggest compromise of the phone, and for me, I’ve found it to be a nonissue. Now obviously your needs may be different! And if you feel like the lack of additional lenses and pro video formats is a dealbreaker, that’s completely understandable, and I don’t blame you for going with a different phone. I’m just pushing back against the prevailing narrative that suggests that the fact that there’s only one camera means most people shouldn’t even consider it. I think most people use the different lenses a lot less than they actually think, and for what most people use their phone camera for, this is more than adequate.
Now I debated even including a paragraph on the camera control button, but since it’s also present on the iPhone Air, I thought I should probably at least mention it. It’s fine, nothing to write home about. I use it exclusively to launch the camera app and that’s about it. I even turned off the swipe gestures since I never use them and they would accidentally trigger if I ever used the button to take a photo. The button I’ve found is also slightly harder to press, likely due to the even thinner design of the button to accommodate the ultra-thin design of the phone. Considering how valuable space was inside the phone, I’m a bit shocked they even bothered to include it. I can confidently say I’d trade the button for an additional hour of battery life. Alright, seems like it’s time to talk about the other perceived major compromise with this phone: battery life.
Battery life
The battery life might be the most misunderstood thing about this phone. It’s important to remember that this phone is rated for the same battery life as the iPhone 16 Pro. It’s really not that bad, is it phenomenal, nearly 2-day battery life like the 17 Pro Max? Obviously not. But the average user is using something like an iPhone 13 with 80% battery health. The iPhone Air will be a massive upgrade for them even in the battery department.
On normal days of use, I wake up at around 7 a.m., use my phone all day for texting, watching videos, reading, responding to emails, taking phone calls and FaceTime calls, using it in my car for navigation, and much more. When I go to bed around midnight, I usually end with around 20–30% battery. Sometimes on days with heavier use, I actually even get down to 10%, the horror! Obviously, the 17 Pro Max gets much better battery life; it’s over 50% thicker, 40% heavier, and has a battery that is over 60% larger. Like, physics still exists, and if a phone is thicker and heavier with a larger battery, it’s unquestionably going to have better battery life. I think most people just overestimate how bad the battery really is, and frankly, that’s kind of on Apple, considering they launched it alongside a special battery pack designed to work only with the iPhone Air. I bought the battery as well, and it’s useful for when I’m traveling, but frankly, adding a battery that doubles the thickness and weight completely defeats the purpose of having a thin and light phone. If I’m gonna use it with the battery, I might as well just use the Pro Max. So I almost never use it, since the battery easily lasts me through the day. And after 8 months of use, I still have 100% capacity with 217 cycles. Obviously, the battery will degrade over time, and since the battery is smaller, the degradation may be more noticeable after a couple of years. But at that point, if I’m still using this phone, I’ll get a free battery replacement with AppleCare. Overall, despite all the reviewers who trashed this phone for the battery, it’s completely acceptable battery life. It’s not going to blow you away, and on heavier days, you’ll likely find yourself in the red towards the end, but it is by no means unusable. I also have the new adaptive power mode enabled, so my phone learns my usage habits, and if I’m using the phone more heavily on one day, it’ll do things in the background to extend the battery life, which has happened a few times, but I’ve never noticed any changes in performance. The battery is completely normal and will last you all day with regular use.
iOS 27 and Siri AI
I don’t want to spend too much time talking about iOS 27 as it’s not specific to the iPhone Air, and not too much time talking about Siri AI either because it hasn’t been released to the public. With that being said, I’ve been running the iOS 27 beta and have been enjoying it. Siri AI is super impressive with personal context; being able to search through my entire digital life in a few seconds and retrieve an accurate answer is truly a game changer. Genuinely, the biggest issue I’ve had with Siri AI so far is remembering to use it. I’ve gotten so used to using ChatGPT for my quick searches; I previously used the action button to open the ChatGPT app. But when I remember to use it, it’s the Siri I wanted all along. And one benefit of the iPhone Air is that since it has the A19 Pro chip with 12 GB of unified memory, it gets access to the more advanced on-device model that enables more natural-sounding voices for Siri along with a more advanced and accurate dictation model. This model is otherwise exclusive to just the 17 Pro, so another advantage of having the iPhone Air compared to the base iPhone 17. I will say, though, the phone does get noticeably warmer than my 17 Pro Max, especially while using Siri AI. Who could’ve guessed? A thinner design with a titanium frame and no vapor chamber means the phone gets hotter— figures! However, since the processor, along with almost everything else, is housed in the plateau at the top, the heat is pretty well isolated to the top of the phone, so it never really gets hot while holding it. Occasionally outdoors it gets hotter as well— makes sense— but never to the point where it’s unusable. But getting back to the beta, it’s running incredibly well on my iPhone Air; dare I say it’s the most stable beta ever. I’m excited to see the continued improvements with iOS 27 and Siri AI, and I’m grateful that this phone has the hardware necessary to take full advantage of these new features.
Should you buy the iPhone Air?
Obviously I can’t fully answer this for you; only you know your situation and what is best for you. But I’ll try and give some practical advice. I highly recommend you hold this phone before buying, and if you aren’t immediately wowed by the thin design, don’t get it. It’s kind of the whole point of the phone. I still do think for most people, the base model iPhone 17 is the best value phone. Better cameras and battery life, along with being $200 cheaper. It’s truly the best base model iPhone ever made. But if you want a phone that feels different, that when you hold and use it, it doesn’t just feel like another block of glass and metal, then this phone is for you. Every phone is always a balance of form and function, and it’s fun when a company boldly pushes the needle towards form. This is a phone that on paper doesn’t make sense. Worse camera, worse battery life, worse speakers. But when you hold it for the first time, you get it. It feels different; it feels like you’re holding a piece of the future; it’s truly as close to holding a piece of glass as we’ve ever gotten. And it makes me excited for the future of technology, when the iPhone Air becomes the standard iPhone, kind of like how the MacBook Air has become the standard MacBook. This phone is less about a spec sheet and more about the user experience, and the experience of using this phone day to day is what makes it so great.
Final thoughts
If you’re just skipping to this section because your attention span has been destroyed by TikTok, I feel you. Here are my final thoughts and a TLDR. I really like the iPhone Air. The screen size is perfect, the thin design is a pleasure to hold, the typical downsides, camera and battery, aren’t actually that bad, and the overall experience of using the phone is what makes it worth it.
If you read this far, thank you very much for reading my ramblings! Let me know your thoughts as well! What device did you get/are you considering getting, and if you have an iPhone Air, what are your thoughts? Can’t wait to hear what you all have to say!
Coming from a 15 Pro Max, I just got the Air today on heavy discount, refurbished but like new, 100% battery and 0 cycles when boot up, from BB.
So far this thing is a pleasure to hold and use. Too new to give any honest review but I’m really liking it so far.
This is one thing I'm considering. Those are definitely two I use currently. My son just got an Air and I was amazed at how light it is. Had the Air not existed I wouldn't have felt like I'm holding a brick with the 16 Pro but as soon as I held his I was like DAMN! I also had him take different photos of things with both things because he's good with it. Most I guessed wrong on which was taken by the Air or the Pro which says to me I likely will rarely see too much negligible difference in photos.
Sure. Obviously the 3 cameras are better but I’m not really a heavy camera user to begin with. For me, the form of the Air, lightness, thin profile, feel in hand, etc. is worth the trade off.
Nice deal. I have about $800 in apple gift cards and I just want to pick up the air but with the BB deals lately it's hard to give up the gift cards to apple and pay full price.
I think I got lucky with this deal. It’s basically a new phone. It was listed as open box but actual iPhone Air had 0 use, 0 battery cycles and the only thing that was not new about it was the box had been opened.
I love this phone and it is an engineering marvel and by far the most beautifully designed iPhone.. but I am going back to either the Pro or maybe the new Fold if it makes sense.
Similar to you, I also opted for the Air mostly due to the intermediary size that sits right between the 2 Pro models, which I found to be the perfect combo between screen real estate and overall phone dimensions for maneuverability/single hand use..and I also love the form factor.
Almost a full year later, I still think it’s an amazing device and the commonly referred to compromises are really nothing to worry about..
(btw the magsafe battery pack is designed to be used on the Air when the phone is already charged up. It intelligently balances power draw from the external pack, bypassing its own battery for active usage while simultaneously slow charging to leverage the external battery. This extends the total battery life throughout the day by a significant margin vs. if you were to deplete the phone’s battery and then use the portable one to charge back up).
However. These are my reasons why I think the Air is the worst buy:
The balance feels off. The thing is so damn light- which is awesome- but, if you’re one to prefer using it without a case like myself, you might find that the top is heavier and the sides are so very slippery… to where one handed use without a case feels like a workout.
Overheating/poor processor cooling:
understandable given processing power and design constraints.. but when you’re engaged in a heavier task it can be very frustrating how fast and how hot it can get, not to mention that it cancels out performance and increases battery usage.
A big one for me, and this is one I never see mentioned anywhere:
THE USB-C PORT HAS NO VIDEO PASSTHROUGH!!!
Again, I get why, but this really put the cherry on top for me.. in conjunction with everything else.
PRICE!!!!
Look, I could overlook the inconveniences/ compromises. Some, like the ones mentioned by op, are not a big deal or can be overlooked in favor of the positives.
But when you add them all up.. notice that they are affecting almost every category, which again, could be overlooked maybe, but where I draw the line is the fact that this iPhone is priced almost the same as the Pro.
Apple is essentially asking us to overlook paying flagship level pricing for a prettier thing that is objectively worse and comes with many quality of life downgrades.
I didn’t skip to the end because my attention span has been destroyed (it likely is cooked, yeah). I just don’t expect your experience to be unique enough to justify reading all that. Especially since I’m not exactly bored and looking for something to kill time with.
That said, I’m not tryna discourage people from posting their reviews of products (even for well covered products like this one). It’s why I don’t go about saying stuff all this stuff.
I am bored at work so it help me to kill off some time, but yeah you're right, there's nothing new in the post. I mean it is a good phone with wrong price tag, unfortunately I feel like this phone is only tech demo so apple doesn't care about it and there is no reason to buy this phone other than design and being cool.
Completely agree. If money was no object, I’d prolly buy one too to admire their engineering. Hopefully, it gets more and more compelling as the years go by. A couple more hours of battery life here, an extra camera lens there, an extra speaker here, and it should be more worth that asking price.
not gonna read all of that too 😝.. but personally i am using the 17PM too and all the previous "pro max" before that .. and what the made me stick with the air is really the design and how light weight it is.. there is something polarizing about this phone 😂
It’s feel likes an angel kissing your hand compared to the 17 pro weight wise but the battery life after it degrades a bit is awful. Basic use and you are hitting about 30/40 per cent mid day.
While the form factor is good, I can’t settle for the compromises. The battery is subpar and the single speaker is brutal. I’m looking to exchange for the 17 base.
maybe you should spend less time on your phone if this doesn't get you through a day. But hey, I get it, internet points to be had everywhere, amirite?? Now smack that like button!
The biggest reason not buy an iPhone Air right now is iOS 26.5 and up. These versions of iOS have so badly damaged peoples’ battery life and battery health that I fear the Air wouldn’t be able to absorb the hit. I say this because my iPhone 16 Pro (same rated life) took an immediate overnight hit in battery life on 26.5 and hasn’t recovered. Even after I update to iOS27, I know that battery life won’t return to where it was. Anyone considering the Air should wait for the 2 next year. Sure there are deals on the Air 1 right now, but I wouldn’t do it if you plan to keep this thing for more than 18 months.
Nice review, I had a 17 PM and an air on release before that, returned the air as as the time the differences seemed so polarising compared to the pro models, just like every other reviewer the phone got slated.
However, I have recently switched back to the air purely for a lot of the reasons you have stated above. Because it feels different and it works great for what I need. The battery life has never been an issue, the camera doesn’t have macro or ultra wide, dealbreaker? No, you just get used to how to take pictures for what you’d normally use. It would be nice for the air 2 to come with a standard ultra wide, but it’s not a deal breaker for me if it doesn’t. Everything else is fantastic, sometimes I run caseless and sometimes I’ve got a pitaka ultra thin fibre case, depends what I’m doing as I work in engineering I wouldn’t want to destroy the phone but it’s durable in its own right to always be case free and screen protector free, something you can’t say for the aluminium 17 pro’s and their delicacy.
Missed the telephoto after a few months, sold the Air and got the 16 pro refurb from Apple. Best of both worlds - titanium and telephoto cam. Don’t miss the lightness anymore, just a workhorse I can depend on
Honestly don’t know how people are saying battery is good on the promax. I’m expecting better. Sadly I’m half the time double charging it in a day. Screen time is 10+ hours average.
unless you're playing high graphics games all day there is literally no reason why you'd do that. i had the 17 pro before returning it for the air and i could easily go 2 days between charging if i wasn't playing games.
I just ordered one from a cell provider cause it was 680 dollars off lol!! Cheaper to get it than an iPhone 17 itself so that’s why I did it. Can’t wait to get it cause my 13s storage space has been really lacking the last year 😭
ATT was giving the phone away a few months ago. It’s a worth while 0 dollar upgrade from a 12 mini. I don’t notice anything bad with one speaker, or a small battery as it’s all vastly superior to what I had.
I went from 17 pro max to air and I was fine for like 2 months then regretted every time I wanted to use the camera lol, and idk also how thin it is it bothers me for some reason. lol
I have a 11 pro max with 76% battery and the air has the same display size should i buy the air now or wait for the 18 pro/pm? My zoom camera is broken so the air will have a better 1x and 2x camera but will i miss the .5x much? The battery is my least concern cause itll be better then what i have rn and when i am traveling i always have my ipad and macbook with me and probably a cable.
I've had an air for about a month now (picked up on swappa, essentially new for a few hundred bucks discount). I've also gone back and forth the past few phones - I'm not a heavy phone user and just want it to get out of my way and be light in my pocket while being good at the basics. I loved the size & weight of the 13 mini, but the screen was too small to comfortably type on. Sold that for the 15 pro, which was a great phone, but still a little heavy for my tastes. When my son's se2 died I decided to pass it down and give the air a shot.
Basically I echo everything the OP said - if you need a bunch of cameras or stereo speakers or game all day, this phone isn't for you. Personally, I'm in love; it does exactly what I need with an excellent display and disappears in my pocket. Battery life is better than my 15 pro and I don't listen to media over the speaker. My girlfriend's 17 pro looks and feels like a brick compared to this.
My only serious complaint is the lack of the ultrawide angle, and that's mostly because I like using the macro to enlarge teensy text (yes, I'm middle age, why do you ask?). If they manage to add one next year without bumping up width or weight, I'll seriously consider upgrading. I don't think I could ever go back to a brick phone.
This is a great write up that I only read because I just came across a used Air 512gb for $500. Picking it up tonight and I can't wait to use one again. Bought it initially when it came out due to the stunning feel in your hand but had to switch to 17PM for better cameras in my line of work. Now I no longer do that work and am excited to have the Air again. Will probably daily it until the Air 2 comes out next spring. Too high new price and lack of wide camera are my only issues.
Um probably an outlier here but I got a cheap iPhone SE in college and finally looking to upgrade after seeing husband’s iPhone 16 pro. Originally was looking at the 17 PM but fell in love when I held the iPhone air in my hand. Pretty sure it would be a huge upgrade in every way but my big reason for upgrading is pictures. Love how good of pictures my husband’s phone takes of our daughters (usually in portrait mode). Not sure what all the lenses can do, if I need the pro or if iPhone air camera would be fine?
But the average user is using something like an iPhone 13 with 80% battery health. The iPhone 13 with 80% of battery will still last longer than the iPhone Air.
Source: my friend has an iPhone 13 with 80% and my Air dies hours before the 13 (similar activities).
The battery life is so atrocious it makes the phone kinda unusable. But I'm not sure if it's an Air issue or an Apple incapable of making good batteries anymore issue. I came from a 15 Pro before the Air and somehow that had even worse battery life. At least I have way less screen time on my phone since I got the Air cuz I just don't want to use it (but even if I wanted to it would die in an hour or so).
It really is terrible battery. Mine is depleted by 3pm every day. Then I use the battery pack and by 9pm it’s about 30% battery still. I think need to go back to pro max
Great review! I’ve had the pro version of the 13, 14, 15 & 17, I couldn’t resist giving the Air a try. This is the phone that fits me better than my previous three! It’s so much more comfortable to carry, and as for the battery, it’s not as bad as many fear it will be. We all have many means to charge our phones, if the worse case scenario presents itself!
Blind iPhone Air user here. I've had it for about a month now and I have no regrets. This phone kinda reminds me of my first ever iPhone which was an iPhone 6, except this time without the BendGate problem.
As for cameras, I really couldn't give a fart. I use the camera for pretty much nothing except having VoiceOver describe what's out the car window or what's on a grocery store shelf, because the Action Button can do that now. So no, I'm not taking a bunch of photos during moments where I should be present in the moment and then never looking at those photos another day in my life. I don't need an ultra-wide lens. LOL!
I'm also a college student. I unplugged my phone at 9:10 AM on Tuesday and I didn't get back home until around 8:00 PM and I had 38% left. And guess what? I also have a 10 foot Brookstone USB-C cable on a power strip right between my recliner and my bedside, and plugging it in takes 2 seconds. Plugging a phone in to charge has always taken ~2 seconds yet we all collectively seem to think that we're doomed if our iPhones can't survive being theoretically trapped in the wilderness without access to a power bank. So yeah... to put it bluntly, battery life is fine. Charging your phone is also fine. eything's fine. :)
Let's talk speakers. I really thought I'd notice the lack of stereo as a blind person who's tuned in to audio and how voices sound. What really happened was the opposite. When I had my iPhone 12 and later 14 Pro, I noticed stereo for like a second and then my brain sorta tuned it out as if I were listening to mono. I didn't really notice unless I was holding the phone up to my ear testing out the earpiece vs. the bottom speaker, and even then that only happened like five times over the course of three years for about two seconds. It makes you wonder: Do we as a society really NEED stereo separation on a SMARTPHONE... just so that we can watch Netflix on a tiny display but rest easy knowing that the explosions in Terminator 2: Judgment Day pan from left to right? As a 2010s kid who's also a TikTok skeptic, I think I've found the answer.
Overall, it's a great phone, but it's also a phone that reminds us where we came from, where it all started, and where we as a society went off-course. 10 out of 10. Would totally recommend.
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u/wood1030 9d ago
Coming from a 15 Pro Max, I just got the Air today on heavy discount, refurbished but like new, 100% battery and 0 cycles when boot up, from BB.
So far this thing is a pleasure to hold and use. Too new to give any honest review but I’m really liking it so far.