ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The thinnest and lightest iPhone yet offers Pro performance at a competitive $999 price point.
- It’s designed to feel burdenless, and that’s the biggest reason to buy one over the iPhone 17 series.
- You’ll just have to settle for only one camera, average battery life, and a single-firing speaker.
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The iPhone “Pro” label has always represented the bleeding edge of Apple’s industrial design. I’ve upgraded to the Pro model every year since it debuted six years ago, and at this point in time, Apple’s formula is so refined and polished that the investment is almost always worth it.
That’s why, going into Apple’s Awe-dropping event earlier this month, my attention was reserved for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, both of which launched with a new vapor chamber cooling system — resolving a longstanding issue of overheating on Pro models — as well as a redesigned and improved camera system. But the keynote ended with me shifting my focus to a different iPhone.
Also: I compared the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max: Here’s who should upgrade
See, Apple did what it does best: marketing. It introduced the iPhone Air, with a theatrical flair, balanced on the tip of a finger at the Steve Jobs Theater, to a chorus of “oohs and ahhs.” The iPhone 16 Pro Max in my pocket was feeling heavier by the second.
Let me be clear: the iPhone Air is a first-generation product, and I’ve been burned by many first attempts. However, there’s a very calculated approach to designing the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever that makes it worth my time. But is it worth yours?
An iPhone that won’t crack under pressure
I’d like to think that I’m one of the few people who have been able to test both the iPhone Air and its Android competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, so when I first held the iPhone, the experience was strangely familiar.
The device’s ultraportability will impress anyone who picks one up, but for me, seeing the fluid Liquid Glass animations flow across the 6.5-inch OLED screen was when reality really set in. This is what iOS 26 was meant to be for.
Also: iPhone Air vs. Samsung S25 Edge: I compared the two ultra-slim phones, and here’s the winner
The idea of an ultra-thin and lightweight iPhone has been rather foreign over the past few years. In fact, holding the iPhone Air reminded me less of the other titanium-cased models in recent years and more of the iPhone 6 Plus from 2019. Back then, such a form factor bordered between normal and risky. It was both a fashionable status symbol and a device that gave into pressure.
I expect the former of the two clauses — status symbol — to continue with the iPhone Air, with its near-invisible side profile (it’s just 5.6mm thick) and singular camera plateau representing one of the most burdenless iPhones of late. As for bendgate, I’m not too worried about that — and Apple doesn’t seem to be either.
Following the September keynote, the company showed members of the media its durability testing facility, which included a machine that applied 130 pounds of force on the center point of the iPhone Air. It bulged but never cracked or snapped in half, and even straightened itself shortly after. That’s a testament to both the titanium frame that wraps around the phone and the Ceramic Shield layering on the front and back.
If you’re more interested in a real-world stress test, I recently sat down with the iPhone Air in my back pocket, and the device showed no signs of fragility. And I’m a six-foot guy who’s well over 130 pounds. If there’s one phone that you should use without a case, let it be this one.
A Pro phone without the branding
There’s a bit of weight that’s lifted when an iPhone doesn’t have the Pro moniker; you expect it to have shortcomings, fewer features, and just a serviceable experience. That sets the iPhone Air up for room to impress, with it being powered by the same A19 Pro chip that revs up the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
Also: iOS 26 is now live – here’s how to download it (and which iPhones support it)
After letting my iPhone Air work through all its initial setup tasks and app downloads, I paced it through a series of performance benchmarks alongside my iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Edge. Here are the results.
|
Geekbench 6 single-core |
Geekbench 6 multicore |
Adobe Premiere Rush (4K, 30s) |
|
|
iPhone Air (A19 Pro) |
3,695 |
9,571 |
22 seconds |
|
iPhone 16 Pro Max (A18 Pro) |
3,612 |
9,210 |
20 seconds |
|
iPhone 16 Plus (A18) |
3,525 |
8,982 |
26 seconds |
|
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
3,037 |
10,106 |
43 seconds |
Focus on relativity. From my testing, the iPhone Air competes well with older and likely newer iPhone Pro models, and even better against the S25 Edge. However, its greatest weakness is efficiency and prolonged power management. I’ve noticed that the camera plateau, where most of the processing components are fitted in, often gets warm after a few minutes of intense workloads.
It’s less noticeable on other phones, including the S25 Edge, because heat is more evenly dispersed across the body, but by condensing everything within a strip of glass and metal, and not having the same vapor chamber cooling system found on the iPhone 17 Pro models, the Air takes a hit during extended usage.
That carries into the battery life. This isn’t an all-day endurance phone, not without a charge or two throughout or the MagSafe battery pack that Apple is pitching the Air with. It’s still too early for me to quantify my daily battery life, but I’m definitely finding myself looking for a charger more often than when I was on my iPhone 16 Pro Max and other thicker handsets.
Also: iPhone Air vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I compared the two flagship models, and here’s the winner
Part of me wishes Apple had added the same 40W wired charging rate from the iPhone 17 Pro models to the Air, but that would likely open another can of worms regarding thermals and battery degradation. With the Air’s already smaller capacity, you just can’t take that risk.
The high and low points of the iPhone Air
The iPhone Air’s cameras are both its high and low points. I’m a fan of the 18MP Center Stage front camera, as it can adaptively stretch out the field of view and give selfies a level of depth and embrace that’s long been missing on phones in general.
For the past two months, I’ve been taking group photos and portraits with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 since the outer display serves as a viewfinder for the rear wide and ultrawide cameras. The iPhone Air and its new square sensor fundamentally achieve the same thing, but with fewer camera taps, unfolding, and other maneuvers required.
Also: I tested the iPhone 17 for 24 hours, and I’m already questioning if I need a Pro
A squared sensor also gives the selfie camera more room for electronic stabilization, meaning videos appear less stuttery and shaky, even when compared to last year’s iPhones.
On the other hand, the rear 48MP camera leaves a sensor or two to be desired. Color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail are still the iPhone’s forte (as depicted in the samples above), but there were several moments when I craved the more distant optical zooming of the Pro model, especially when recording live events and subjects far away.
The absence of an ultrawide lens also means you can’t dramatize landscapes and scenic views from up close or pull in macro-level details like on the regular, $200-less iPhone 17.
ZDNET’s buying advice
So, who should buy the iPhone Air? At $1,000, you’re mainly paying for the ultraportability and innovation factor. Of all four new iPhones released this year, the iPhone Air feels like the one we’ll most likely reference in the future, when even the Pro models — and potentially foldables — are built under a similar framework.
If you’re a camera enthusiast, power user, or want an iPhone that might not require a battery swap after 2-3 years, then I’d consider your other options this year, including the base model.
Also: I compared the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max: Here’s the best buy for you
What I expect to ultimately tip the scales in the Air’s favor will be the in-store experience, when curious shoppers pick up the device and feel an absence of thickness and bulk. (For those who care, you may also notice that the Air comes in a black color, but not the 17 Pro.)
The iPhone Air is a device you must see in person to grasp its significance. When you do, switching between it and any other model will only amplify the idea that the other model will soon be a thing of the past.
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