Apple iPhone Air review: The least sensible iPhone ever

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Apple iPhone Air (2025)

The iPhone Air is the largest factor to occur to Apple’s smartphones because the iPhone X made its debut eight years in the past. 

It’s a reimagining of what an iPhone can appear to be, ditching the tried-and-tested design for one thing way more daring. 

The ultra-slim chassis is a powerful feat of engineering, nevertheless it has some very actual penalties elsewhere. Regardless of the £999/$999 price ticket, the iPhone Air has important downgrades in comparison with even the bottom iPhone 17. 

Is it price it in trade for a possible slice of the longer term? I spent per week utilizing the iPhone Air as my important cellphone to seek out out. 

Design & Construct

• Extremely-slim 5.6mm design
• Sturdy, titanium construct
• IP68 water and dirt resistance

The iPhone Air is a cellphone I by no means anticipated Apple to make.  

Positive, there are slimline Air-branded variations of its iPad and MacBook, however a smartphone is a unique kettle of fish. Not solely is it restricted by the peak of a USB-C port, nevertheless it additionally requires a lot of completely different elements to be housed inside a really small area. 

However I’m grateful for Apple’s ambition, and from a design perspective, the iPhone Air has undoubtedly paid off. 

The iPhone Air is a beautiful gadget to carry, with a thickness of simply 5.6mm (0.2mm thinner than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge) and a weight of 165g giving it a barely-there really feel in your hand. Alongside a tiny bezel across the fringe of the display, the immersive really feel of utilizing it’s unmatched by any cellphone I’ve ever tried. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

There are rumours that the iPhone Air’s design may very well be the blueprint for the upcoming foldable iPhone, which is slated to launch in 2026. If Apple caught two of those collectively and received the hinge proper, I’d be very completely satisfied certainly. 

Even with no folding mechanism, one in every of my massive issues was sturdiness. Judging by the images, it virtually appears like you may snap the iPhone Air in half in case you tried exhausting sufficient. 

Curiously, Apple has shifted again to aluminium frames on the iPhone 17 vary, however retained titanium right here. I’m very glad it did – titanium is each lighter and stronger than aluminium, which makes it excellent for the Air. 

And I needn’t have fearful about sturdiness. Apple’s engineers have clearly made this a high precedence, as a result of it doesn’t really feel flimsy in any respect. I briefly tried bending it, and there was no flex, not to mention any indicators of harm. YouTuber JerryRigEverything’s testing was far more excessive, and it fared very properly there, too. 

If it have been every other cellphone, I’d recommend utilizing a case. Apple’s official one, which it despatched to me alongside the gadget, is about as slimline because it will get, nevertheless it undoubtedly detracts from the beautiful design. I’d be tempted to danger it and go case-free. 

Luckily, grip isn’t a difficulty. I used to be in a position to make use of the iPhone Air with out worrying about it falling out of my pocket or off a desk, which is a standard concern for glass-backed telephones.  

The matt coating on the rear additionally does a great job of resisting fingerprint smudges on the House Black mannequin I examined, though it’s additionally obtainable in far more attention-grabbing Cloud White, Gentle Gold and Sky Blue variants, in case you’d favor. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Like all of the 2025 iPhones, the Air boasts an IP68 score. Apple’s claims transcend the standard for water resistance, stating that it might survive submersion in as much as six metres of water for as much as half-hour. It’s additionally totally dust-proof. 

Elsewhere, the iPhone Air’s haptic suggestions is a number of the finest within the enterprise. I’m not normally a fan of vibrations whereas typing, charging and utilizing bodily buttons, nevertheless it actually impressed me. The delicate jolt when enabling Silent mode through the Motion Button is a private favorite. 

The latter is one in every of 5 bodily buttons across the aspect of the gadget. Alongside energy and quantity controls, it’s additionally joined by the Digicam Management button. I discover it to be a helpful shortcut to the digital camera app and a pleasant bodily shutter button, nevertheless it’s barely awkwardly positioned and too fiddly to supply intuitive controls. 

Display & Audio system

• 6.5-inch OLED panel
• Adaptive 1-120Hz refresh price
• Mono earpiece speaker

The iPhone Air’s show is my favorite factor about it. The mixture of excellent high quality and that immersive design I discussed earlier delivers a viewing expertise that few handsets can match. 

It’s a 6.5-inch panel that stretches virtually all the best way to the perimeters of the cellphone, with its 1260 x 2736 decision which means it matches all of the iPhone 17 fashions for pixel density (460ppi). 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Apple has totally embraced OLED on its iPhone flagships lately, and I’m glad it has. The wealthy, vibrant colors and deep blacks are notably obvious right here, making it a really perfect gadget for watching YouTube or TV exhibits. I wouldn’t normally suggest watching films on a cellphone, however the high quality of the visuals right here received’t allow you to down. 

In the meantime, the 120Hz refresh price works in tandem with LTPO expertise, making certain it might mechanically drop as little as 1Hz to save lots of battery life when not required. The latter is ideal for the All the time-On show, which lets you see important info whereas the display is off, although it’s one thing I favor to maintain switched off. 

The iPhone Air can also be glorious in the case of visibility. A formidable peak brightness of 3000 nits makes it simple to make use of in principally any outside atmosphere, with the Ceramic Protect 2 entrance cowl together with an efficient anti-reflective coating. Indoors, the …. nits determine I recorded is among the many highest on any cellphone. 

I genuinely can’t consider something the iPhone Air’s display isn’t good at, which is uncommon for a cellphone show. 

It will come as no shock in case you’re accustomed to the iPhone, however there’s no fingerprint sensor of any description. As a substitute, the iPhone Air depends on the pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout on the high of the display, which homes the Face ID sensors. 

Some Android telephones, together with the Pixel 10 sequence, supply a 3D face unlock that’s safe sufficient for use to authenticate funds and log into banking apps. However for a seamless expertise in virtually any state of affairs, I nonetheless favor Face ID. 

Sadly, area constraints imply the iPhone Air’s audio system have been compromised. With no speaker on the backside, it’s completely reliant on the earpiece for audio, and high quality suffers because of this.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

In comparison with most cellphone audio system, music sounds a bit washed out, with the sound missing any bass or important depth. Whereas completely clear at decrease volumes, making it well-suited to cellphone calls and podcasts, it might get distorted as you make it louder. 

Specs & Efficiency

• Apple A19 Professional chipset
• Robust efficiency, together with whereas gaming
• eSIM-only

The iPhone Air is perhaps compromised in some areas, however efficiency isn’t one in every of them. 

It’s geared up with the identical A19 Professional chipset that’s discovered within the iPhone 17 Professional fashions. This 3nm chip is probably the most highly effective that Apple has ever made, and similar to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 on the Android aspect. 

Alongside 12GB of RAM throughout all fashions, efficiency is completely excellent. The iPhone Air is constantly quick and ultra-responsive, dealing with common on a regular basis use with out breaking a sweat. 

My typical day whereas testing included a lot of internet looking, messaging and emails, plus some social media, map navigation and images. None of this was a match for the iPhone Air’s energy, even when utilizing a number of apps concurrently and rapidly switching between them. It’s additionally one of many few telephones I’ve examined the place I’ve by no means skilled a single app crash or freeze of any description. 

I used to be involved that the cellphone’s slim design may have an effect on extra demanding workloads, however I needn’t have fearful. 

In contrast to the Galaxy S25 Edge, which I examined earlier this yr, the iPhone Air avoids any important build-up of warmth whereas taking part in demanding video games akin to Asphalt Legends, Genshin Impression and EA Sports activities FC. The again of the cellphone will get just a little heat throughout longer periods, however that’s about it. 

And crucially, there’s no noticeable slowdown or dropped frames. The iPhone Air is nearly as good for gaming as principally every other iPhone or Android flagship, which is spectacular. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

By way of connectivity, it’s necessary to notice that the iPhone has no bodily SIM card slot, so that you’ll have to make use of eSIM. Whereas the iPhone has been eSIM-only within the US since 2022, that is the primary time Apple has launched a mannequin like this internationally. 

That makes the method of switching to the iPhone Air and holding your quantity far more difficult than simply popping your SIM card in, though it’s nonetheless very a lot doable. If it’s a trouble you’d actually slightly do with out, all different iPhone 17 fashions assist bodily SIM playing cards outdoors the US. 

The iPhone has by no means supported expandable storage, so the elimination of a SIM tray doesn’t have an effect on that. If you happen to assume the entry-level 256GB received’t be sufficient, there are additionally choices for 512GB and 1TB. 

Apple iPhone Air benchmarks

Cameras

• Single 48Mp rear digital camera
• 18Mp selfie digital camera
• Centre Stage and Twin Seize options

The iPhone Air’s digital camera system is an actual blended bag, and it’s more likely to be a dealbreaker for many individuals – myself included. 

On one hand, the cellphone has the identical 48Mp, f/1.6 important sensor because the common iPhone 17, which itself is barely a small downgrade from the 17 Professional and 17 Professional Max.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

It’s an excellent lens, delivering excellent element and impressively correct colors. I actually take pleasure in how true-to-life photographs from the iPhone Air are, even when they may require some enhancing later. 

In good lighting circumstances, dynamic vary is great, whereas it handles shadows higher than any cellphone I’ve tried. Nevertheless, publicity will be a difficulty at instances, with the cellphone typically compensating for a darker scene by blowing out the skies. 

The iPhone Air additionally takes beautiful portrait images, combining crystal-clear topics with a delicate bokeh impact that does a great job of edge detection. The result’s an impressively professional-looking picture, and you’ll simply modify the extent of background blur after the picture has been taken.

The primary lens additionally performs properly in low-light circumstances. Evening mode, which is mechanically enabled by default, boosts brightness and removes noise, turning a mean picture into an excellent one. 

I’ve discovered the rear digital camera to be equally adept at taking images of individuals, structure and landscapes. I solely want it had assist from different lenses on the again. 

I don’t care how slim it’s – to have just one lens on the again of a £999/$999 cellphone in 2025 is inexcusable. Inevitably, the digital camera system is far much less versatile because of this. 

Need to seize extra within the body? Somewhat than simply tapping the 0.5x button to change to the ultrawide, you’ll should hope you possibly can stand additional again, which regularly isn’t doable. 

And don’t let Apple’s claims of a 2x ‘optical zoom’ idiot you. It merely crops in on the picture from the primary lens, sacrificing some key particulars within the course of. High quality is on a speedy downward spiral past that, and it speaks volumes that you would be able to’t transcend 10x. 

If you happen to care about zoom images, my message is obvious: don’t purchase the iPhone Air. 

Nevertheless, the front-facing lens is one other success story. The 18Mp, f/1.9 sensor is identical on the iPhone 17 fashions, and it is perhaps the very best selfie digital camera on any cellphone. 

If you happen to care about zoom images, my message is obvious: don’t purchase the iPhone Air

Why? It’s not simply the truth that it takes nice selfies in virtually any atmosphere, though the correct pores and skin tones and excellent stage of element are essential.  

The iPhone Air additionally options Apple’s Centre Stage tech, which takes a variety of the effort out of getting a great selfie. It makes use of the mixture of a sq. sensor and AI to mechanically modify the zoom and orientation to get everybody in body. It’s not fairly instantaneous, nevertheless it’s a straightforward option to considerably enhance the standard of your selfies. 

See extra digital camera samples within the gallery beneath:

Elsewhere, iPhone Air follows within the footsteps of current iPhones by delivering glorious video high quality. Footage from each the entrance and rear lenses exhibits no noticeable decline in color accuracy or element, whereas OIS (optical picture stabilisation) ensures every thing stays impressively easy. 

You possibly can seize from each lenses concurrently through the Twin Seize function, although this feels finest suited to content material creators or anybody who recurrently uploads to social media. 

Software program & AI

• iOS 26 out of the field
• Lengthy and immediate software program updates

The iPhone Air runs iOS 26 out of the field, which means you get entry to the brand new Liquid Glass aesthetic.  

It’s a transparent shift in the best way Apple needs its UI to feel and look, with varied parts that fade into the background however then reply expressively while you work together with them. The corporate claims it even behaves as glass would in the true world, however that appears like a little bit of a stretch.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Total, I’ve loved my interactions with Liquid Glass. It’s a delicate shift, however one which helps the iPhone Air really feel much less like an inanimate piece of expertise and extra a part of the pure world (despite the fact that it isn’t, in fact). 

The impact is magnified while you discover a third-party app that’s embraced Liquid Glass, although this will border on annoying when once-familiar menus look virtually unrecognisable. I like Liquid Glass on inventory apps, however that’s sufficient. 

Elsewhere, iOS 26 continues to embrace customisation, permitting you to manage every thing from the app icons and widgets to system-wide themes and even lock display images that come to life.

If you happen to don’t actually care about AI, iOS 26 is an completed and intuitive working system

The model of iOS you see at present is sort of unrecognisable in comparison with a decade in the past, and all the higher for it. As somebody who makes use of Android more often than not, I assumed I’d wrestle much more than I’ve, although there’s a clear adjustment interval. 

One space wherein the iPhone nonetheless struggles is AI. The Apple Intelligence suite merely isn’t as efficient or as intensive as Google and Samsung’s choices, regardless of having loads in widespread. 

It’s additionally badly hamstrung by Siri’s continued shortcomings, which solely emphasised to me simply how good Gemini is. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

If you happen to don’t actually care about AI, iOS 26 is an completed and intuitive working system that provides extra methods to make it your personal than ever earlier than.  

It’s additionally properly served by software program updates. Apple releases a significant new model of iOS to all appropriate units on the similar time, with assist usually lasting for round 5 or 6 years. That’s barely lower than the very best of Android, however you’ll in all probability be switching your cellphone sooner anyway. 

Battery Life & Charging

• 3149mAh battery (unconfirmed)
• 20W wired charging
• 20W wi-fi MagSafe (Qi2) charging

Alongside the cameras, the iPhone Air’s battery represented my greatest concern. 

Apple doesn’t reveal particular battery capacities, merely providing claims of as much as 27 hours of video playback. That’s not a giant downgrade in comparison with the 30 hours it suggests you will get from the common iPhone 17, although my expertise with the Galaxy S25 Edge had made me cautious. 

Nevertheless, it’s been a pleasing shock. Battery life isn’t a key energy of the iPhone Air, nevertheless it isn’t a weak point both. With reasonable use – round three hours of screen-on time – a single cost will comfortably get you to the tip of the day. If you happen to make money working from home, as I do, you’re nearer to 2 days. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The standard PCMark battery check that we run on Android telephones isn’t obtainable on the iPhone, which means that I can’t supply direct comparisons. However except you intend on taking part in demanding video games or continually utilizing location companies, cellular information and excessive brightness, you don’t have to fret about battery life on the iPhone Air. I by no means imagined I’d be saying that, so Apple deserves credit score right here. 

An space I received’t be giving it reward is charging speeds. The iPhone Air can solely hit paltry 20W wired speeds, and also you’ll want a appropriate charger to benefit from even that – the next wattage doesn’t assure it. 

Battery life isn’t a key energy of the iPhone Air, nevertheless it isn’t a weak point both

Apple says you possibly can rise up to 50% cost in half-hour, which is sort of equivalent to my testing. Utilizing a 67W charger, the cellphone went from empty to 27% in quarter-hour, hitting 51% by the half-hour mark. 

You may as properly use Qi2 MagSafe charging as an alternative, as it might attain the identical 20W speeds. Alongside conventional charging infrastructure, there’s a variety of various first- and third-party equipment that benefit from the built-in magnets on the again of the cellphone. They’re properly price exploring. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Value & Availability

At launch, the iPhone Air begins at £999/$999. That will get you 256GB of storage, however you possibly can step as much as 512GB or 1TB fashions for £1,199/$1,199 and £1,399/$1,399 respectively.

Within the UK, it’s obtainable immediately from Apple or via retailers including Amazon. Within the US, you possibly can head to Apple or Greatest Purchase, whereas loads of networks are promoting the cellphone on contract in each international locations.

The outright value makes it £100/$100 cheaper than its ultra-slim rival within the Galaxy S25 Edge. If you happen to don’t thoughts a thicker cellphone, the Pixel 10 Professional can also be £999/$999, whereas the common iPhone 17 is a tempting various that prices £200/$200 much less.

See extra nice choices in our information to the very best telephones you should purchase.

Do you have to purchase the iPhone Air?

In all probability not. I actually loved utilizing it, however the iPhone Air isn’t a sensible cellphone for most individuals to purchase and use as their main handset.

As beautiful because the iPhone Air’s ultra-slim design is, an excessive amount of has been sacrificed to realize it. 

The digital camera system is restricted, the audio system are underwhelming, and battery life is worse than any of the iPhone 17 fashions, regardless of being higher than anticipated. 

When you possibly can pay £200/$200 much less and get important enhancements in all three of these areas, the iPhone Air turns into exhausting to justify. It affords a stunning show and sensible efficiency, however that’s simply not sufficient to make it a helpful each day driver for most individuals. 

Specs

• Colors: House Black, Cloud White, Gentle Gold, Sky Blue
• Working system: iOS 26
• Show: 6.5-inch Tremendous Retina XDR 1-120Hz OLED
• Chipset: A19 Professional
• Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
• Rear digital camera: 48Mp f/1.6 important digital camera
• Entrance digital camera: 18Mp f/1.9 Centre Stage digital camera
• Charging: USB-C quick PD 2.0 20Wcharging, 20W wi-fi MagSafe charging, 20W wi-fi Qi 2 charging, 4.5W reverse wired
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, 5G NFC, eSIM-only
• Water and dirt resistance: IP68
• Dimensions: 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm
• Weight: 165g