4 causes I am blowing previous the iPhone Air, and why you must too

As anticipated, the star product of Apple’s September 9 press occasion was the iPhone Air. There wasn’t a lot left for Apple to disclose about it, in reality — I already knew, primarily based on leaks, that it could be about 5.6mm thick with a 6.5-inch show, and sport a single rear-facing digital camera, regardless of the presence of two or three cameras on the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro. I even knew what it could seem like. Not that there was a lot Apple may’ve achieved about that — accent makers wanted blueprints to have merchandise prepared on time.

The telephone is extra tempting than I assumed it could be, however I am additionally fairly comfy about skipping it. You ought to be as effectively, and there are a number of the reason why. Here is hoping that Apple types issues out by the point the Air 2 rolls round.

4

Thinness comes on the expense of battery life

Kind over perform

Apple / Pocket-Lint

The largest shock is that the battery life on the Air is not as unhealthy as rumors predicted. Apple claims that the system can deal with as much as 27 hours of video playback, placing it on par with my iPhone 16 Pro. That is partly attributable to the Air’s customized C1X modem, which is extra power-efficient than the third-party modems in earlier gadgets. Apple’s benchmarks by no means correspond on to actuality, in fact — however you must be capable to get by means of a day on a single cost in the event you’re not taking part in Resident Evil or taking pictures loads of 4K video.

What Apple does not let you know is that the Air charges beneath all the things else in its 2025 lineup. The iPhone 17 is rated for 30 hours of playback, and the 17 Professional will get as much as 33. The 17 Professional Max delivers as much as 39 hours — which means that with mild exercise, it may legitimately be a two-day telephone.

None of this might matter if it weren’t for the Air’s $1,000 entry worth. You may get a longer-lasting system for much less cash, which is the other of how issues usually work. Perhaps Apple will slender the hole subsequent yr by switching over to silicon-carbon batteries, which provide larger vitality density.

3

You are sacrificing digital camera performance

Think twice about the way you shoot pictures and movies

Apple / Pocket-lint

The Air sports activities a 48-megapixel wide-angle digital camera, just like the one on the iPhone 17, with the choice of 2x zoom for filling the body somewhat higher. For some folks, this can be greater than ok, permitting them to snap buddies, household, and lots of different topics in excessive element. However in contrast to the 17, there is not any ultrawide digital camera to talk of. Meaning you possibly can’t shoot in cramped areas, and even take macro pictures, which could possibly be a dealkiller in the event you like to make use of your telephone to take group pics, or save pairing codes and serial numbers.

As soon as once more, the Air’s pricetag comes into play. You may really save $200 and get an ultra-wide again in the event you purchase an iPhone 17. Alternately, by spending $100 extra you possibly can improve to the 17 Professional, which incorporates each an ultra-wide and a 48-megapixel telephoto digital camera with 8x zoom. When you’re contemplating an Air, you’d higher suppose lengthy and laborious about your digital camera wants — you do not need to end up lacking key reminiscences as a result of your telephone lacks fundamental tools. Even the similarly-designed Galaxy S25 Edge has twin cameras.

2

Sturdiness is a huge query mark

There’s solely thus far materials selections can go

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple went to nice lengths to emphasize the toughness of the Air throughout its press occasion. The telephone not solely sports activities a titanium physique — in contrast to the iPhone 17 and 17 Professional, which use aluminum — however Ceramic Protect glass on each the entrance and the again, meant to scale back the specter of scratches and cracks. The entrance particularly makes use of Ceramic Protect 2, claimed to have 3 times the scratch resistance of its predecessor.

None of this straight addresses the most important concern with ultra-thin telephones: bending. Titanium could also be stiffer than aluminum, nevertheless it’s not resistant to stress, and there is solely a lot structural rigidity Apple can present in a tool so skinny. Presumably Apple has discovered the teachings of Bendgate, which plagued the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus — but it is not laborious to think about somebody warping or cracking their Air by by accident sitting on it. We’ll have to attend for reviewers to show issues a technique or one other.

I believe I converse for lots of people after I say that I would reasonably have a thicker, heavier telephone that is rugged than one which (briefly) impresses me with how slim and light-weight it’s. For the sake of consumers, I sincerely hope that Apple’s advertising and marketing is greater than hyperbole.

1

It skimps on 5G, graphics, and USB tech

The iPhone 16 Professional may very well be a greater deal

One thing I’ve discovered through the years is to pay shut consideration to Apple’s specs sheets, as a result of the corporate is not at all times clear with its forward-facing press supplies. Whereas it brags concerning the iPhone 17 having a 120Hz adaptive refresh price, for example, I needed to delve into specs to substantiate that this allows always-on show (AOD) capabilities like lockscreen widgets and StandBy. I assume Apple considers this all normal now, regardless that you continue to get a locked 60Hz with out AOD in the event you purchase an iPhone 16 or 16e.

When you’re weighing an Air towards a 17 Professional, it’s possible you’ll be shocked by a few of its compromises, which transcend digital camera and battery tech. Whereas each merchandise use an A19 Professional chip, the Air has one much less graphics (GPU) core, which may damage its efficiency in some video games. It additionally does not assist the quickest model of 5G, mmWave, and may solely sync wired information at sluggish USB 2.0 speeds. That final level is pathetic, frankly. The two.0 spec dates again to the yr 2000, so there is not any excuse for any iPhone to have it in the present day, given the sizes of contemporary music, video, and backup information. USB 3.1 must be handled at the least — not a Professional luxurious.

Contemplate this: the bottom Air is supplied with 256GB of storage. USB 2.0 may make some backups take over an hour, whereas USB 3.1 would shorten that to lower than seven minutes. I get that most individuals depend on Wi-Fi and cloud sync today, however that is no excuse for leaving USB customers within the Darkish Ages.