You don’t always get to know the real reason someone leaves their job—not even the guy in the video below, Abidur Chowdhury, an Apple industrial designer who played a “key role” in developing the iPhone Air, and acted as its spokesman when it was introduced, but who has, according to Bloomberg, left Apple for an AI startup.
With that in mind, the Information reported a little over a week ago that the iPhone Air is such a flop that Apple has delayed rolling out the next model. (Bloomberg’s story on Chowdhury notes that a second iPhone Air will still happen, but not until 2027) Gizmodo’s largely positive review of the device found it too lightweight for its own good, with less-than-ideal battery life, and noted that if it “ends up going the way of the dodo like the iPhone Mini and Plus,” it might turn out to be a “testbed for miniaturizing components into a smart glasses form factor” and may include components of a foldable iPhone still to come.
Bloomberg’s story on Chowdhury’s departure (attributed to anonymous “people familiar with the move”) is from Bloomberg’s intrepid Apple scoop-getter, Mark Gurman, who has hastened to imply that he does not think the iPhone Air is some sort of corporate disaster that merits Chowdhury being forced out. “His exit is unrelated to the debut of the phone, which has seen its design praised despite underwhelming sales,” Gurman tweeted.
His exit is unrelated to the debut of the phone, which has seen its design praised despite underwhelming sales. https://t.co/sw2mtOGs58
Chowdhury joined Apple in 2019, around the same time celebrity chief design officer Jony Ive departed the company. According to reports, that period would have coincided with the company’s attempts to recover from the slow-motion meltdown that ensued when Ive seemingly lost his faith in Apple due to disagreements over what the Apple Watch was supposed to be, and then mostly stopped coming to work, and let his department basically atrophy.
According to Gurman, Chowdhury’s resignation “made waves internally, given his rising profile within the design team.”
After using the iPhone Air for the past ten days, I can confirm what everyone’s been wondering: yes, it really is that light and thin. But what’s more interesting is whether Apple’s thinnest phone ever, at just 5.64 millimeters, is worth the trade-offs it demands. I have used the iPhone 15 Pro Max as a primary phone for over 18 months now, and my secondary phones are often flagship Android phones, so I know what substantial feels like. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air is so light that when I first picked up the iPhone 17 Pro Max after using the Air, the Pro Max suddenly felt heavy, too. That contrast tells you something about what Apple has accomplished here, and what you might be giving up.
Friends who’ve held the iPhone Air say how exquisite it looks and feels in hand, even though the phone weighs just 12 grams less than the iPhone 17. I share the sentiment. I find myself picking the phone up from my table just to experience that feeling again. Surely, the novelty of a phone’s build will wear off, but for now, I’m enjoying it.
Image Credits: Ivan Mehta
The phone is not small. It is easier to hold because it is thin (sorry, iPhone Mini fans). But if you have trouble operating phones with large screens with one hand, this one won’t be too different because of its 6.5-inch screen.
Just like the headline suggests, when the iPhone Air is in my pocket, I often forget it’s there. If you have trouble fitting larger phones in your pocket, the iPhone Air will likely fit in. If you don’t have any trouble, your pockets will just feel lighter.
Image Credits: Ivan Mehta
While the phone is thin, it is pretty sturdy. I had the phone fall from the level of a bedside table, and it was fine. Once I sat on it by mistake, and it didn’t lose any shape. There are plenty ofvideos out there to suggest it will do just fine in most day-to-day conditions.
I typically use most phones without a case, and I didn’t want to add any bulk or thickness to the iPhone Air with a case, though you’ll need one if you are planning to use Apple’s new shoulder strap. And if you want extra protection, you can use Apple’s bumper case without adding a lot of heft.
Image Credits: Ivan mehta
Given the iPhone Air’s slim build, there has been a lot of talk about its battery life. I notice that the phone often starts to get hot after intense gaming or video streaming, especially around the camera plate area, prompting me to check the battery percentage more often than I should.
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The phone has the processor chops to let you play games with intensive graphics, but if you plan to use the phone extensively during the day, having Apple’s $99 MagSafe battery pack — which fits the back of the phone — is a good idea, as it will get you through the day easily. One added advantage of carrying the pack is that you can top up the battery of MagSafe-compatible AirPods if needed.
The Battery Pack adds weight and Thickness to the phone Image Credits: Ivan Mehta
Overall, the battery life of the iPhone Air is fine if you are planning on doing tasks like making a few calls, watching some videos, scrolling your feeds, and answering your emails while being connected to a Wi-Fi network. I carried the phone on a two-hour flight and watched a downloaded movie on Netflix, and I didn’t see a significant drop in the battery level. But keep in mind that this is a new phone, and the battery will deplete over time, which might be a concern if you plan to hold on to this phone beyond a year or two.
Another drawback of the iPhone Air is in the camera department, with its single-lens rear camera setup. The phone features a 48-megapixel sensor with an f/1.6 aperture, just like the base iPhone 17. The 26 millimeter focal length camera has sensor shift stabilization to capture good images in most lighting conditions. While details on the photos are fine, I’ve noticed that the iPhone’s camera post-processing often makes the background a lot brighter than what you see with your eyes.
Image Credits: Ivan Mehta
There is no dedicated telephoto camera, and you will have to make do with a 2x crop from the main sensor. However, apart from in low lighting conditions, the zoom works well. I have three pets, and over the years, I have really appreciated good zoom so I can capture their goofy and cute poses without moving from my place. I missed having that option with the iPhone Air.
The omission of a wide-angle lens might pinch you if you travel often or go to places where you might want to capture vast landscape photos.
Apple changed the selfie camera sensor across the new lineup with a new square 18-megapixel sensor. This enables you to take selfies in different formats without having to hold the phone in landscape mode. Thanks to Center Stage, when more people cram into a frame, the camera automatically chooses a wider aspect ratio. But you can manually control the zoom in/out and orientation as well. If you shoot videos for different creative channels, the new iPhones also have an option to shoot a clip using feed from both front and back cameras simultaneously.
One side note: the Air has the camera control button just like previous iPhones, but I haven’t bothered using it much.
There is a third, albeit smaller, drawback of having a single speaker. The iPhone Air is designed in such a way that Apple wasn’t able to accommodate speakers at the bottom. When you are gaming, listening to music, or taking calls on the speaker, you will hear sound only from the speaker atop the screen. I personally use AirPods most of the time, but I did miss having dual speakers while watching an odd video without the earbuds.
Apple nailed the tough part — engineering a stunning phone. Now comes the harder part, which is convincing people to buy one The Air is filling the fourth slot in the company’s four iPhone yearly lineup, which was occupied by the Mini and the Plus previously. For Apple, the Air’s job is to do better than that. But the question is, who is the phone for?
Just like my colleagues Amanda Silberling and Julie Bort wrote on the launch day, it is easy to get swayed by the iPhone Air because of how it looks. You might be further convinced once you hold the phone. When I got the iPhone Air, I told one of my friends that it is a “vibe phone” — one with more swag and feel rather than practicality.
It is not a phone you can charge in the morning and wholly trust to last the whole day without any extra battery support. But if aesthetics or portability matter to you more than all-day battery life or a multi-lens camera system, the iPhone Air delivers. If not, the rest of the iPhone lineup is for you.
On the heels of the iPhone 17 lineup being released a few weeks ago, you can pick up Apple’s 25W MagSafe charger for a song. The two-meter version of the more powerful charging cable has dropped by 29 percent from $49 to $35. That’s a record-low price.
As it happens, that actually makes the two-meter version of the cable less expensive than the one-meter variant. The shorter cable will run you $39 as things stand.
Apple
The two-meter version of Apple’s more powerful MagSafe charger has dropped to a record-low price.
If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it’s connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you’ll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too — it’s certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging.
The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories, and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you’re picking up one of the latest models. If you’re on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17, iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air.
Whether you picked up a new iPhone 17 recently or you have an older model, you can pick up one of Apple’s own chargers at a discount thanks to a rare sale. Apple’s 25W MagSafe charger with a two-meter cable is on sale for $35 — 29 percent off its usual price.
Believe it or not, this sale actually makes the two-meter version cheaper than the one-meter version. The latter at the moment would set you back $39.
Apple
The two-meter version of Apple’s more powerful MagSafe charger has dropped to a record-low price.
If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it’s connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you’ll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too — it’s certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging.
The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories, and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you’re picking up one of the latest models. If you’re on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17, iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air.
Whether you picked up a new iPhone 17 recently or you have an older model, you can pick up one of Apple’s own chargers at a discount thanks to a rare sale. Apple’s 25W MagSafe charger with a two-meter cable is on sale for $35 — 29 percent off its usual price.
Believe it or not, this sale actually makes the two-meter version cheaper than the one-meter version. The latter at the moment would set you back $39.
Apple
The two-meter version of Apple’s more powerful MagSafe charger has dropped to a record-low price.
If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it’s connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you’ll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too — it’s certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging.
The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories, and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you’re picking up one of the latest models. If you’re on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17, iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air.
The iPhone Air has been available for a week as of the publication of this post, and the top complaint I keep hearing about the super-skinny phone is not even that its battery may not last long enough or that it may scratch easily, but that there’s only one back camera. Everyone seems willing to wait for Apple to add an ultrawide lens to next year’s presumably named iPhone Air 2. I wouldn’t bet on that. Get the iPhone Air now, or buy an iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro if you really need an ultrawide camera. I don’t think the iPhone Air is getting a second rear camera anytime soon.
Once you’ve held the iPhone Air in your hand, you’ll understand why I called it a magical sheet of glass in my review. It truly feels like you’re holding a screen and nothing more. Its camera “plateau” is thicker than the rest of the iPhone Air, not only because it houses the 48-megapixel “Fusion camera,” which itself has a lens and optical image stabilization module that requires more girth, but it also—importantly—contains pretty much all of the phone except for the battery.
“To make something this thin, we had to redesign our iconic plateau,” waxes Abidur Chowdhury, an industrial designer for iPhone in Apple’s “Awe Dropping” keynote. “Precisely machined from both sides, it’s sculpted to fit our custom-made cameras, chips, and key system modules.”
John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of hardware, added, “The inside was precision-milled for more space, creating room for the rear camera, front camera, speaker, and even Apple silicon.”
Are you getting it? No? Let me translate that in normal lingo: there’s no f*cking room to fit an ultrawide camera. This image showing everything inside the plateau has been stuck replaying over and over in my head as people tell me why they aren’t getting an iPhone Air despite loving the feel. There is literally no more space for another camera sensor and lens.
By cramming the A19 Pro chip, N1 wireless connectivity chip, C1X modem, speaker, the 18-megapixel Center Stage camera, and other phone stuff into the plateau, the rest of the iPhone Air is nearly all battery. But unless Apple can figure out how to shrink the already tiny components even smaller, there’s just no way future generations of the iPhone Air will get the camera.
You’re probably thinking: but Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge has two cameras in its own camera plateau. While they may both house cameras, the plataeus are different. The iPhone Air’s plateau houses more than just its camera sensors; the S25 Edge only contains the cameras.
Apple could grow the iPhone Air plateau, extending it further down the body, but then it wouldn’t be able to fit as large a battery. Now, it’s possible Apple could use a silicon-carbide battery in future iPhone Airs. These kinds of batteries just started making their way into phones in the last year or so. They’re smaller and thinner, while having just as much capacity as regular lithium-ion batteries. A silicon-carbide battery would allow Apple to rearrange the components in the iPhone Air to make room for a second camera sensor, but that would also come with one potential downside: thermals. In the first-gen iPhone Air, the A19 Pro is inside the plateau, which keeps heat away from the backside. There’s no vapor chamber like there is in the iPhone 17 Pros to keep the chip from frying an egg when it’s pushed hard.
The plateau is even more of a “pragmatic optimization,” as Ive once said of the iPhone 6’s camera bump, which now seems inoffensive in comparison to the iPhone Air’s and iPhone 17 Pros’ mounds. Even with so many Apple industrial design vets having defected to Jony Ive’s LoveFrom or simply retiring, Apple is worth $3 trillion and has some of the best designers and engineers. It can redesign the iPhone Air to fit an ultrawide camera if it really wants to, but it probably won’t. It’s easier to sell “Pro” iPhones with the extra camera lenses. So don’t sleep on the iPhone Air if you’re holding out for the extra lens. You’ll just be disappointed when it doesn’t happen.
On the heels of the iPhone 17 lineup being released last week, you can pick up Apple’s 25W MagSafe charger for a song. The two-meter version of the more powerful charging cable has dropped by 29 percent from $49 to $35. That’s a record-low price.
As it happens, that actually makes the two-meter version of the cable less expensive than the one-meter variant. The shorter cable will run you $39 as things stand.
Apple
The two-meter version of Apple’s more powerful MagSafe charger has dropped to a record-low price.
If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it’s connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you’ll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too — it’s certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging.
The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories, and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you’re picking up one of the latest models. If you’re on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17, iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Last week’s Apple event meant we were in for a barrage of reviews this week. We spent lots of time putting the iPhone 17 family, including the new iPhone Air, through its paces. We also tested the AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 that were unveiled just over a week ago. In non-Apple reviews, there’s in-depth analysis of a premium Chromebook and the latest Tamagotchi device. Read on to catch up on everything you might’ve missed over the last few weeks.
Apple iPhone Air
Apple/Engadget
It might not be the most affordable iPhone or the one with the most cameras, but for anyone who puts a premium on style and sleekness, the iPhone Air is without a doubt Apple’s coolest handset in years.
Apple replaced the iPhone 16 Plus with the ultra-thin iPhone Air, but the new phone is more than just a gimmick. As senior reviews writer Sam Rutherford observed, the company opted for sleekness with a purpose, and it did so without sacrificing too much battery life. “While Apple might not want to say so just yet, I’m willing to bet that this device will also be the template for an upcoming foldable iPhone,” he concluded.
Apple iPhone 17
Apple/Engadget
The “regular” iPhone got a big refresh this year with the addition of a ProMotion display and Center Stage camera.
Pros
Finally, a 120Hz display
Center Stage front camera works great
Dual 48MP Fusion rear cameras take sharp photos
Cons
6.3 inches will be too small for some
Best camera performance is reserved for the 17 Pro
We’ve become bored with Apple’s tickle-down scheme for the regular iPhone over the years. The company has repeatedly opted to bring features from the Pro line down to these devices. This time, it finally gave the iPhone 17 a 120Hz display, and you won’t have to wait for the best camera updates. “Even if you’re coming from the iPhone 16, you’ll reap the benefits of the overhauled display and improved cameras,” I wrote. “I don’t say any of that lightly as I’m not a person who recommends getting a new phone every year.”
Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
Apple / Engadget
The iPhone 17 Pro is a powerful smartphone with an innovative selfie system, versatile rear cameras and a redesigned exterior that feels sturdy.
Pros
Innovative and useful Center Stage selfie camera
Versatile triple-sensor system for rear cameras
Aluminum unibody feels sturdy and scratch-resistant
The Pro and Pro Max versions of the iPhone have always held a camera advantage over the regular model, and that’s still true. But the main differences now also include better thermal management, an aluminum unibody case and an optional 6.9-inch display. “This year’s iPhone lineup is forcing me to re-think the idea of a Pro phone,” managing editor Cherlynn Low said. “Is it one that looks and feels expensive or is it one that’s slightly more durable and maybe doesn’t appear as stylish?”
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple/Engadget
The most significant update to the AirPods lineup delivers a host of ANC-powered improvements, including Live Translation. Plus, the arrival of heart-rate tracking makes the AirPods Pro 3 a more capable workout partner.
If Apple had only improved both the active noise cancellation (ANC) and sound performance of the AirPods Pro 3, it would’ve been a decent upgrade. However, the company went well beyond that with the additions of Live Translation and heart-rate tracking. But the best part about this model is the strong possibility that the company isn’t done with it yet. “If recent history is any indication, the company will continue to add new features to this third-generation version,” I said. “I highly doubt that Apple is finished exploiting the power of the H2 chip, so it’s just getting started with what the AirPods Pro 3 can do.”
Apple Watch Series 11
Apple
With improvements to battery life and new health metrics, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a refinement on what was already the best smartwatch for iPhone owners.
The best smartwatch for iPhone owners keeps getting better. With upgrades to design, battery life, health monitoring and more, the Series 11 is a big refresh for the wearable device. However, it might not be the best option for most people. “With the Watch SE 3, you’ll still be able to access a wide range of health and fitness features like wrist temperature monitoring, sleep score, emergency SOS, fall and crash detection and more,” Cherlynn concluded. “It’s a compelling option at an appealing price.”
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514
Acer
Between its powerful chip, great battery life and solid hardware, Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is one of the best ChromeOS laptops you can buy.
There’s some wide variance in performance among Chromebooks, but Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514 offers power, longevity and utility. The main downside is you’ll have to pay a premium for it. “At $700, we’re pushing the top of what anyone should spend on a Chromebook,” deputy editor Nathan Ingraham wrote. “While the more powerful chip and long battery life will be worth it for some people, Acer itself is providing some strong competition with its standard Chromebook Plus 514 which came out this summer.”
Tamagotchi Paradise
Bandai / Engadget
Tamagotchi Paradise feels like a wholly fresh experience for the classic virtual pet, with new characters, fun games and a reimagined approach to caretaking.
Pros
Gene-mixing is back
Plenty of built-in games
Care factors are visualized
Multiple environments to raise different Tama types
If taking care of a virtual pet is more your speed these days, weekend editor Cheyenne McDonald spent some time tending to her digital flock. “All in all, Tamagotchi Paradise feels fuller than 2023’s Uni, especially as the latter existed at its launch before all the downloadable content started coming in,” she said. “There’s a lot of fun to be had with this one, so long as you’re open to a little (okay, a lot of) change.”
Whether you picked up a new iPhone 17 the other day or you have an older model, you can pick up one of Apple’s own chargers at a discount thanks to a rare sale. Apple’s 25W MagSafe charger with a two-meter cable is on sale for $35 — 29 percent off its usual price.
Believe it or not, this sale actually makes the two-meter version cheaper than the one-meter version. The latter at the moment would set you back $39.
Apple
The two-meter version of Apple’s more powerful MagSafe charger has dropped to a record-low price.
If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it’s connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you’ll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too — it’s certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging.
The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories, and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you’re picking up one of the latest models. If you’re on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17, iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
The iPhone Air is a device with shorter battery life, fewer cameras and a price tag that’s $200 more than a base iPhone 17. Sure, it’s got a bigger screen and it’s unbelievably sleek, but no matter how you slice it, that value proposition doesn’t make sense. At least on paper. That’s because as soon as you hold an iPhone Air, you instantly get a sense that this handset represents much more than a simple quest for thinness. The iPhone Air is a device with a mission: To push the company’s design and engineering further than ever before while doubling down on style. Plus, it’s potentially laying the foundation for something even more radical down the line.
Editor’s note (on September 19, 9:00AM ET): The iPhone Air is now officially available in retail outlets, and those who have pre-ordered their devices will be receiving them starting today. As you make your decisions on whether or which of these you should buy, make sure to check out our reviews of , , as well as the and the . We also published a closer look at the feature, which has some impressions of what it’s like to use in real life.
What is the iPhone Air?
New iPhones generally don’t need to be explained, but the Air is a different sort of iPhone. On a purely practical level, it could be viewed as a (very) glowed-up replacement to the iPhone 16 Plus. However, the Air starts at $999, which is $100 more than the launch price of last year’s closest Apple equivalent (or $200 more after its recent price drop). Furthermore, the Air has a smaller 6.5-inch display (versus 6.7 inches on the 16 Plus) and only a single rear camera instead of the two you typically get on a base model iPhone. Then, to make things a touch more confusing, the Air has nearly the same A19 Pro chip used in Apple’s Pro series this year instead of a regular A19 processor. But most importantly, the Air’s design is unlike any iPhone that’s come before it, and it may end up becoming a bridge to Apple’s next era of smartphones (while also being irresistibly thin and stylish today).
Apple/Engadget
It might not be the most affordable iPhone or the one with the most cameras, but for anyone who puts a premium on style and sleekness, the iPhone Air is without a doubt Apple’s coolest handset in years.
Even with the arrival of Samsung’s super sleek Galaxy S25 Edge earlier this year, Apple is setting new highs for mobile design with the iPhone Air. Not only is it even skinnier at just 5.6mm (versus 5.8mm for the S25E), it’s the best example yet of what I like to call “the sci-fi space pebble look” thanks to its rounded corners and beautifully polished edges. It’s a proper marvel of engineering and while I generally don’t like saying this, you really do have to hold one to fully appreciate Apple’s craftsmanship.
Despite its dimensions, the Air isn’t all sleekness and no strength. You still get a full IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, while the titanium frame makes the whole handset remarkably sturdy. On top of that, the Air has a screen covered by a new Ceramic Shield 2 panel that also comes with an anti-reflective coating. And while it doesn’t completely eliminate glare, it does a good job of preventing annoying bright spots.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
As for the display itself, there’s not much to complain about here either. The Air’s screen has a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and it has ProMotion support with a refresh rate that varies between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the situation. But the real impact is that when you put a display this good in a device this thin, sometimes it really does look like someone has ripped a page out of a magazine and made it float in your hand. It’s kind of uncanny and I can’t get enough. To be fair, Samsung’s S25 Edge does produce a similar effect but it isn’t quite as pronounced.
I also appreciate that Apple still found room for the iPhone’s Action button and a flush Camera Control key. Around back, there’s subtle sophistication in the way the Air’s Ceramic Shield rear panel slopes up gently to create Apple’s camera plateau (though I don’t love that name). And weighing just 5.82 ounces (165 grams), the Air’s heft (or lack thereof) adds even more to its ethereal in-hand feel.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
My main issue with the Air’s design is that it only has a single mono speaker. Granted, it packs a punch both in terms of volume and presence, but after years of stereo sound being the de facto equipment on premium smartphones, one-sided audio doesn’t sit quite right. The other potential sore spot is that the Air’s USB-C port isn’t perfectly centered in the bottom edge. But I fully admit that this is the most minor of nitpicks, and when you consider that due to the Air’s thinness Apple had to 3D-print the connector out of titanium (a first for the company), I’m not bothered.
Performance: Way better than good enough
Compared to the base iPhone 17, the Air has a more powerful A19 Pro chip. However, unlike the silicon available in the iPhone 17 Pro line, the Air’s processor has one fewer GPU core (five instead of six). But even with that small shortfall, the phone was never hurting for speed. Flipping between apps is essentially instantaneous and thanks to the new Liquid Glass visual design in iOS 26, doing so looks better than ever.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
More intense tasks like gaming didn’t do much to slow it down either. Frame rates remained stable in demanding titles like Destiny: Rising while more casual fare like Sword of Convallaria looked effortlessly fluid. The only time the phone seemed mildly taxed was when using tools like Apple’s Image Playground. Just watch out if when do you any high performance tasks for a prolonged time, because the the Air can get a bit warm — particularly on its camera bump. Thankfully, in my experience, it never got too hot to touch.
Elsewhere, the addition of Apple’s new N1 and C1X chips rounds out the package that the company claims makes this the most power-efficient iPhone yet. That’s important because without a vapor chamber like on the Pro line, or room for a large battery, the Air doesn’t have much leeway for excess heat or power draw. The downside is that Apple’s C1X modem doesn’t support mmWave 5G. This may not be an issue depending on where you live or what network you’re on, but for those demanding peak mobile data speeds, it is something worth considering before upgrading.
Camera: Crisp images but is one lens enough?
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
The photos and videos the iPhone Air takes are excellent. But at the end of the day, there still isn’t a real replacement for more glass, and with only a single lens in back, Apple’s lone 48MP rear camera may be the phone’s biggest limitation. In a shot of some homemade cookies, details were sharp and colors were so rich that my mouth was still watering long after the treats were eaten. Same goes for a tricky photo at sunset, where the Air still managed to capture the warmth and subtle tones of the day’s fading light. And at night, it kept pace with or even outshot its biggest rivals, including the Pixel 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge — like in my image of a local mural and flower in low-light. However, if you’re the kind of person who loves a good telephoto shot or the extra field of view an ultra-wide lens provides, the Air’s 2x optical quality zoom means you’re out of luck.
Impressively, despite only having a single rear camera, the Air still manages to take portrait pics that look practically just as good as those from iPhones with two. Apple says that it reengineered its portrait pipeline to work without the need for stereo cameras for the Air, and it totally works. Now, if you do some serious pixel peeping, you might notice some small discrepancies between the iPhone 17 and the Air on things like flyaway hairs. But in the end, it’s nice to see that even without the same number of lenses, there isn’t a major drop in quality.
1 / 8
iPhone Air camera comparison vs Pixel 10 Pro XL
In this photo of some homemade cookies, the sharper details and warmer colors of the iPhone Air win out.
However, in front, Apple’s Center Stage feature and the Air’s new 18MP selfie cam might be the next big photo revolution that other companies will copy soon. By using a square sensor instead of a rectangular one, the phone can flip between wider landscape shots or taller portrait-style pics at a moment’s notice. In fact, there’s even an auto setting that allows the phone to switch between the two on its own, depending on how many people are in the frame.
As someone who is selfie-averse, the times that I do want to take a photo of my face are usually when I’m standing in front of a big vista and want to capture myself and the scenery. Center Stage lets me do just that without needing to awkwardly turn the phone on its side. Additionally, while the photos you see here were taken with Apple’s default “Standard” Photographic Style, I must admit I like the new “Bright” option in iOS 26, which adds just enough pop and color to your photos without going overboard.
Battery life and charging: Not a problem
The iPhone Air’s emphasis on thinness means there’s less room for a big battery, so you might think longevity would be a concern. But in my experience, it’s been a complete non-issue. Officially, Apple doesn’t provide specs for the size of the power cells in its devices, though the company does state the Air should provide 27 hours of continuous video playback, which is only three less than what you get from a base iPhone 17. That’s a drop of just 10 percent and, considering the sleekness of the Air, it’s a trade-off I’m happy to make.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Furthermore, my results generally line up with Apple’s numbers. In a streaming video rundown test over Wi-Fi, the iPhone Air lasted 23 hours and 39 minutes — barely an hour less than what I got from a base iPhone 17 (24:45). And in the real world, the Air fared even better than expected. Even on a day with over seven hours of screen on time (which includes running benchmarks and gaming), the phone has 25 percent juice left in the tank. And on lighter days when I’m not working or constantly checking my phone, I often had 40 to 45 percent energy remaining. When it comes to recharging, the Air keeps things simple: a 30-minute charge (either wired or wirelessly) can add 50 percent battery in just 30 minutes.
Apple’s MagSafe battery pack: The Air’s best buddy
I don’t normally mention peripherals during a review, since I’m not a fan of cases but I can understand wanting extra protection for a $1,000 phone. However, I’d argue that Apple’s MagSafe Battery for the iPhone Air may be an essential accessory for folks who like to travel light but don’t want to worry about their electronics dying — even if its $99 price tag stings.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
In keeping with the iPhone Air’s design, Apple’s power pack is exceedingly slim at just 7.5mm and it snaps neatly onto the back of the device magnetically, so there are no wires to worry about. On its own, recharging tops out at 12 watts. Though if there’s a cord lying around, you can boost speeds up to the Air’s 20-watt limit. Alternatively, you can also use the pack’s built-in USB-C port to power up any of your other gadgets. And when you need to recharge the portable battery, all you have to do is keep it attached to the iPhone while it’s charging and it will automatically pass through juice as needed.
But my favorite part is that not only does the battery pack refill the iPhone Air, it can recharge the AirPods Pro 3 wirelessly as well. Admittedly, Apple’s slim MagSafe Battery doesn’t have the biggest capacity at 3,149mAh (which is enough to add an extra 65 percent charge to the phone). So even though you’re paying a premium to keep things super thin and breezy, between the handset, the power pack and Apple’s latest earbuds, I really appreciate the convenience for what might be the ultimate lightweight travel kit for iPhone faithful.
Wrap-up
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
While the iPhone Air’s thinness may be its most striking quality, it’s abundantly clear that this handset is so much more than that. Not only does this device represent a radical evolution of Apple’s design chops, it forced the company’s engineers to come up with more power-efficient solutions to make all this possible. And in that respect, the iPhone Air is a massive success. It’s sleek, it’s fast and it’s wildly stylish in a way that both fashionistas and people who just like packing light can appreciate.
One interesting wrinkle in all of this is that the true potential of the Air’s success might not be truly felt for another year or two. While Apple might not want to say so just yet, I’m willing to bet that this device will also be the template for an upcoming foldable iPhone. You slap two Airs together, connect them with a hinge and a flexible screen and baby you got stew going. That said, for fans of previous Plus models, the Air’s increased price, smaller screen and single rear cam certainly aren’t ideal. As long as you don’t mind the lack of extra lenses, for those who appreciate a powerful but still eminently effervescent mobile companion, the iPhone Air is in another stratosphere.
As smartphones get thinner, their batteries necessarily get smaller — but all phones, includingiPhones, like to die at inopportune moments. The best MagSafe power bank can provide extra juice when you need it, no cables required. And, thanks to new charging standards, charge-ups are quicker.
I’ve been testing power banks for Engadget for around three years and have watched portable chargers get more efficient in real time. After testing around a dozen magnetic banks, I think Anker’s Qi2 MagGo 10K power bank is the best MagSafe power bank. But you’ll also find a budget option, a Qi2 25W pick and an ultra-slim model (which we think is better than Apple’s own iPhone Air MagSafe battery).
The best MagSafe power banks for 2025
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
Specs: 10,000mAh capacity, Qi2 certified, display, stand, USB-C port
Who is this for? The person who never remembers to charge their phone overnight.
Anker’s MagGo power bank was one of the first Qi2-certified products to come to market — and it’s still one of the most well-rounded MagSafe banks you can get. It charged an iPhone 15 from 5 percent to 60 percent in a little over 45 minutes. It took under two and a half hours to get the phone from near-dead to full, and it had enough power left over for an additional 70-percent refill.
A small display tells you just how much charge remains (and how long until it’s full when you’re recharging the battery). The kickstand is sturdy so you can use the phone hands-free in portrait mode, or you can twist the phone to watch something in landscape orientation.
Like many Anker products we’ve tried, it has a sturdy build and a clean aesthetic. Plus, it comes in purple, blue and green in addition to the standard (and comparatively boring) black and white. Though it’s on the pricier end of the battery pack spectrum at $90, it’s often on sale for $70 and has sold for as little as $50 on Amazon.
Specs: 10,000mAh capacity, Qi2 25W certified, USB-C cable/strap, USB-C port
Who is this for? The person who wants the latest charging tech for their iPhone 17.
Ugreen was the first to market with a Qi2 25W-certified power bank with its MagFlow 10K brick. Belkin and Anker have debuted their stationary charging accessories and we’ll likely see portable chargers from them and others soon. As I don’t have an iPhone 17 yet and the public version of iOS 26 wasn’t available for my iPhone 16 at the time of testing, I didn’t get the fastest possible speeds out of the bank — but it was still a solid performer with plenty of perks.
It charged an iPhone 15 from near-dead to 50 percent in around 45 minutes and it’s got a display to tell you about how much charge the bank has left, which I found to be pretty accurate. Its attached USB-C cable doubles as a handle and the overall design feels premium. At 10,000mAh, it’s got enough capacity for a refill and a half for a standard iPhone. That also makes it a little bulky, but not so much that you can’t use the phone as it charges. There’s also no built-in stand so it’s more awkward to watch while you charge with this one.
Pros
First Qi2 25W-certified power bank
Includes a screen to tell you the remaining charge
Specs: 5,000mAh capacity, Qi2 certified, under 5 oz, 0.34-inches thick, USB-C port
Who is this for? The minimalist; the person who wants their power bank to blend in.
iPhones are sleek and slim — if you want the same from your portable charger, Anker’s new Nano 5K MagGo Slim is a good pick. It’s one of the thinnest chargers I’ve ever tested and has a nice, smooth matte texture. Since it’s thinner and a little wider than many battery packs, it’s ideally proportioned for a standard iPhone, stretching edge-to-edge on the back and sitting just below the camera. That makes it easy to grip your phone and use it as it recharges. There’s no stand, strap, screen or any other extras, but that’s the point with a minimalist accessory like this.
It took an iPhone 15 from 5 percent to 90 percent in about two and a half hours. Like all power banks, it slowed down significantly after the pack was half drained, so it’s worth noting that it charged the phone to 40 percent in less than an hour.
Specs: 10,000mAh capacity, Qi2 certified, USB-C cable/strap, stand, USB-C port
Who is this for? The person who wants the most charge for the lowest price.
This is the first product from Iniu that I’ve tested and I was impressed by both the features and the value. The P73 10K Magnetic Power Bank managed to get an iPhone 15 from five percent to full in around two hours and fifteen minutes. It had enough left over to deliver another impressive 90 percentage points to the iPhone in round two — that’s actually a slightly better performance than our top Anker pick. As it’s the first of its kind, I’m not as certain of the bank’s long-term reliability (like I am with Anker batteries), but so far, Iniu seems pretty capable.
Instead of a display on the bank, the remaining power is indicated with a cute, lit puppy paw. The lights on the toe pads and center pad disappear as the battery discharges; it’s a cute variation on regular LEDs. The stand at the bottom works in either landscape or portrait mode, but the strap gets in the way when it’s in the latter position. Speaking of the strap, it’s not just a handy way to grab the bank — it’s also a detachable USB-C cable. That may come in handy when it’s time to recharge the pack or you want to lend some charge to another device.
What to consider before buying a MagSafe power bank
Choose the right capacity. Most portable MagSafe chargers have either a 5,000 milliamp hour (mAh) or 10,000mAh capacity. Obviously, the larger capacity batteries are physically bigger, but thanks to an iPhone’s magnetic attachment points, you can still use the phone comfortably as it charges. If you’re worried about overall bulk, you may prefer the slimness of a 5,000mAh battery.
Just note that a 5K battery pack won’t deliver its entire capacity to your phone due to energy loss from voltage conversion and heat dissipation. Over the years, I’ve measured around a 60-percent delivery rate for wireless banks. For example, that means an iPhone 16 with its 3,561mAh battery will get about 85 to 90 percentage points from a 5K battery. A 10K bank will charge that same phone fully once, with enough for a 50- to 60-percent boost next time.
Understand MagSafe versus Qi2. All iPhones model 12 and later have MagSafe technology, which rely on embedded magnets to align the phone with a wireless charger and can support charging speeds of up to 15 watts. The MagSafe name is owned by Apple — third-party chargers can’t freely use the term and instead call their accessories “magnetic,” or apply a branded name like Anker’s MagGo or UGreen’s MagFlow. Be sure to check the product details before buying: anything that works with Apple’s technology will be listed as MagSafe-compatible.
Qi2 is a standard from the Wireless Power Consortium (of which Apple is a member) and has the same stipulations as MagSafe (15W charging and magnetic alignment). Any company can submit their tech for this certification. iPhones 13 and later are Qi2 compatible.
The newest standard is Qi2 25W and bumps wireless charging speeds up to 25W. The WPC says a certified smartphone using a certified charger can wirelessly go from dead to half full in about 30 minutes (keep in mind that both the charger and phone need to be certified to get those speeds).
Accessories, like power banks that support the new standard are starting to hit shelves now. As for phones, Google’s Pixel 10 Pro XL, Apple’s iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max all support the standard as well. iPhone 16 models (except the 16e) will likely support the standard after an update to iOS 26.
Remember travel restrictions. You may have seen news reports of flights being grounded because a power bank caught fire in the cabin. Currently, the TSA allows them in your carry-on luggage as long as they’re rated at 100 watt-hours or lower (about 27,000mAh for lithium ion batteries).
But some airlines have enacted further restrictions. Southwest, for example, requires you to keep power banks out of the bag and visible while charging. Even if your airline doesn’t make such demands, keeping a power brick out in the open while it’s in use is a good idea — it’ll keep it cooler and you’ll be more likely to notice if it starts to overheat. Most, if not all, MagSafe battery packs come in at under the 100-watt-hour limit, so traveling should be easy with one.
Consider the extra features. You may not need them, but the little extra perks of a MagSafe power bank can come in handy. Some have stands so you can watch your phone while it refills. Some have LED displays that tell you how much charge is left, which can be a little more precise than the lighted pips other banks use. Some also have straps to make the bank easier to carry around or fish out of your bag.
What about the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery?
When Apple introduced the iPhone Air, it announced the new $99 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery in the same breath. It’s now the only Apple-branded MagSafe power bank — but it only works with the iPhone Air. A quick peek at the shape of the battery will clue you in as to why: the Air is the only model with a camera array that allows the battery to attach.
We think Anker’s Nano MagGo Slim is a better bet. It has the same minimalist look and pocketable thinness, but it’ll attach to other phones in addition to the Air. Plus it’s $35 cheaper and, judging from the size and specs, Anker’s bank is likely higher capacity (Apple doesn’t list the battery’s size).
Other MagSafe batteries we tested
Belkin BoostCharge Pro 10K
Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro is Qi2-certified and was only a touch slower than other models in terms of charging speeds, boosting an iPhone 15 from 5 percent to full in about two and a half hours. The feel is premium and the stand is sturdy, but it got quite hot during charging, took overly long to refill itself and is pricer and a bit bulkier than similar models.
Baseus Picogo 5K
The Picogo 5K from Baseus is teensy but still packs a stand and a 5,000mAh capacity. It’s Qi2-certified and delivered a 43 percent bump to our tester iPhone 15 in 42 minutes, ultimately charging it to 91 percent. The slim slab of the Anker Nano battery is sleeker. But that one doesn’t have a stand — so if you want to prop up your phone while it charges, go for this one.
MagSafe power banks FAQs
What does MagSafe do?
MagSafe is Apple’s own technology that supports up to 25W wireless charging speeds and incorporates embedded magnets to align the phone with chargers and other accessories.
Which iPhones support MagSafe?
iPhones 12 and later support 15W MagSafe technology, though only iPhones 13 and later can reach the 15W charging speed with third-party Qi2 accessories. The iPhone 12 maxes out at 7.5W with non-Apple accessories.
The new iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max support up to 25W charging speeds with Qi2 25W-certified chargers. iPhone 16, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max should also support those speeds after an update to iOS 26. The iPhone Air supports MagSafe charging at a max speed of 20W.
Can you use MagSafe batteries with a case?
In most cases (heh), yes. The wireless charge can travel across a distance of a few millimeters. If the case is more than 5mm thick or contains metal components, the wireless charge can be blocked. Many iPhone cases are marketed as MagSafe-compatible, which means the case itself has complimentary magnets inside and should not interfere with charging accessories. We tested a MagSafe power bank on an iPhone 15 with and without a MagSafe case and got the same charging speeds and amounts in both tests.
How much power do MagSafe batteries provide?
That depends on the power bank. If it is Qi2-certified, it can provide up to 15 watts of wireless power. Qi2 25W-enabled chargers can deliver up to 25 watts to a compatible handset. Non-Qi2 batteries typically deliver around 7.5 watts.
The amount of charge delivered depends on the capacity. Most MagSafe portable chargers are rated at 5,000mAh or 10,000mAh. The former can get a standard iPhone 15 from five percent to around 90 percent. The latter can fill the phone completely with enough left over for another half charge.
Apple is set to release its upcoming iPhone 17 series on September 19 in most countries across the world. However, the eSIM-only iPhone Air’s release is being delayed in China, likely due to regulatory issues around the approval of the embedded SIM.
Apple’s website notes that all three Chinese state-owned network providers, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, will offer eSIM support for the iPhone Air, but says the timing of the release will be subject to regulatory approval. Pre-orders for the other new phones in the line-up start on Friday.
According to South China Morning Post, Apple told local media that it was working with regulatory authorities to bring the iPhone Air to China “as soon as possible.” The report referred to a post by China Mobile on social network Weibo, that said the network has enabled eSIM services for mobile phones, though a launch date was not mentioned.
China Telecom posted on RedNote about launching its own eSIM service on September 19, when the iPhone 17 line is supposed to be released. However, the post has since been removed, SCMP noted.
Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.
Apple had a lot of announcements this week, but arguably none was bigger (and paradoxically thinner) than the iPhone Air. For one, there’s the fact that this is Apple’s first-ever phone with “Air” branding, marking a rare new category of iPhone, both present and future. Then, there’s the fact that the iPhone Air is very slim—5.64mm to be exact. Gizmodo’s Senior Editor, Consumer Tech, Raymond Wong, got some hands-on time with the iPhone Air, and he says it feels as thin as it looks—even thinner than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, to be exact. Think Ozempic, but for iPhones.
But as exciting as all of that is, it’s not the newness or even the thinness that turned my head—it’s what the iPhone Air says about the future. And to see that, you have to look at what’s going on inside.
This is HIGH signal of the future to come.
For context, the entire computer. Modems, Antennas, everything needed to compute on the iPhone Air fits inside the camera bump.
If you’ve been paying attention to X, you may have seen this picture in your feed. That’s the inside of the iPhone Air you’re looking at, and it’s significant for one reason. You see all of that stuff at the top? That’s basically the whole phone—or all of the computing power, at least. Apple managed to stuff basically everything that makes its iPhone an iPhone (camera and compute) into one tiny section at the top of the chassis. The rest of the phone? One big and very thin battery. It’s a feat of engineering, really, but beyond that, also a template for what Apple could do next.
There are a lot of implications of being able to cram a powerful computer in a space that small, but the one that intrigues me the most is a pair of AR glasses. Why AR glasses, specifically? Well, they’re a perfect case of miniaturization getting in the way of a bright new future. It’s not that we don’t have the tech (in theory) to make AR glasses work—we can put screens in a glasses display, we have apps and UI, and camera sensors are smaller than ever—but it’s doing all of that in a form factor that people are ready and willing to wear on their faces that throws a wrench in things. We need to make things smaller if we’re going to think bigger. Write that down, Apple marketing.
It just so happens that’s exactly what the iPhone Air does. It crams a powerful computer into a space that formerly felt too confining. And what makes me even more excited about the miniaturization inside the iPhone Air is the fact that Apple has long been rumored to be developing a pair of AR glasses.
In February, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revised earlier claims that Apple stopped developing AR glasses, reporting instead that it killed a “stopgap product” that would have competed with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. To me, that says Apple isn’t disinterested in AR, only that it’s waiting until it has a product that actually moves the needle—perhaps a pair of AR glasses that resemble regular glasses in size and weight but can still run apps and act as secondary screens for messaging, calls, and navigation. You know, the ideal pair of smart glasses. With the miniaturization of iPhones and the computer inside them, it feels like it’s one step closer to that goal, though there are other concerns with making a gadget of that caliber that the iPhone Air doesn’t necessarily address.
One of those hurdles is the battery. Apple did a good job of (at least on paper) making the iPhone Air battery suitable for most people, claiming that it lasts “all day,” which in this case means about 27 hours of offline video playback and 22 hours of streaming playback. That being said, it still bothered to release the iPhone Air alongside a MagSafe Battery pack that extends the phone’s battery. Maybe I’m reading into that too much, but it seems to me that Apple could be getting out ahead of something. That same issue could extend to a pair of AR glasses, too.
Even if Apple could cram a whole computer inside a pair of lightweight glasses, running everything would still need to be very efficient, especially if there’s a screen inside with high brightness, audio capabilities, and the ability to run apps. All of that stuff eats up battery—and fast. That’s all to say that shrinking down a computer is huge, but powering the damn thing is equally important. Even with that piece of the puzzle potentially unsolved, it’s hard not to believe that Apple could make it work… eventually.
Just a few years ago, we would have looked at the idea of an iPhone Air and said, “No way.” It’s not durable enough; there’s not enough battery; Moore’s Law is dead; yadda, yadda. But here it is. An iPhone that’s thin and light and even has Apple’s most powerful A19 Pro chip. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Apple is already looking at ways to up that ante, improving battery life, cameras, and making its Air just as capable as its base model iPhone. And who am I to bet against them at this point? Call me crazy, but if the iPhone Air is any indication, my money is on a pair of Apple AR glasses that do it all—and maybe sooner than you think.
Okay, so I’ve had some sleep to rest up (just a little) from the craziness of yesterday’s Apple Event, but also time to collect some thoughts on the iPhone Air (starting at $999) that I got to try out after the keynote. There’s no doubt in my mind that Apple has captured the same type of attention with the iPhone Air’s super-thin design as it did when Steve Jobs pulled out the original MacBook Air from a manila envelope. The iPhone Air is just so unbelievably thin—I felt like I could easily snap it in half (more on durability later)—and yet I couldn’t resist drooling like the hundreds of other members of the media, creators, and influencers fondling it at the Steve Jobs Theater.
First look at all four iPhone Air colors in hand. And the new $99 MagSafe Battery Pack for it and how it compares to the older Lightning MagSafe battery pack #AppleEventpic.twitter.com/tnaIGbhdgN
I got to get up close and personal with all four colors of the iPhone Air. The “cloud white” and “space black” are my favorite; the latter reminds me of the “jet black” iPhone 7 that I adored. “Light gold” looks good and neutral, too. “Sky blue” is my least favorite; it’s just not my vibe, though it can look white or light gray at certain angles and under different lighting.
Despite having a 6.5-inch 120Hz “ProMotion” display that’s larger than the 6.3-inch screen that I’m used to on my iPhone 16 Pro, the 5.64mm thinness and 165g (5.82 ounces) made the footprint feel more compact than it objectively is. I brought along a Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for comparison and the iPhone Air, despite being 0.16mm thinner feels skinnier because of its curved titanium frame that melts into the Ceramic Shield 2 front glass and matte Ceramic Shield backside glass. The S25 Edge’s boxier design and straight rails dig more into your palm and make the device look thicker.
I feel confident the iPhone Air can cut cake like the S25 Edge…
It’s clear that the iPhone Air is Apple’s new premium smartphone, at least in terms of design. Whereas the iPhone 17 and 17 Pros are more function over form than previous generation models, the iPhone Air looks the most jewelry-like with its polished titanium frame. That shiny finish does mean the metal gets covered in fingerprints fast, but it’s also a luxury aesthetic that Apple hasn’t used since the iPhone 14 Pros, which had polished stainless steel frames. Cover the iPhone Air in a case or Apple’s official bumper, and none of this matters. As a case hater, I appreciate the raw feel of the iPhone Air.
In terms of durability, while I did feel like I might snap the iPhone Air and Apple would have an iPhone 6 #bendgate situation all over again, the phone is surprisingly sturdy. I lightly pressed into the screen in the hands-on area, and it didn’t flex. Clearly, Apple made sure the structural design was solid.
I had some concerns that the iPhone Air might be top-heavy with the single 48-megapixel Fusion camera mounted on its new elongated island or plateau, but it isn’t. Apple seems to have worked some magic arranging the internal components so it feels balanced in the hand and doesn’t tip over. I forgot to do a table wobble test like I did with the iPhone 17 Pro, though.
There are many things that I couldn’t test in-depth, like the A19 Pro chip. Without my staple of third-party apps, I can only say that the iPhone Air running iOS 26 with the new Liquid Glass user interface felt fast and smooth. Battery life is another feature that’ll have to wait for review testing. It’s reasonable to believe that the iPhone Air may not have the stamina to get you through a full day unless you plug it in or buy Apple’s official $99 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery, which helps give the thin phone up to 40 hours (of video playback). I did get to check out the MagSafe Battery and can confirm three things: 1) it’s got a larger footprint than the discontinued Lightning one introduced alongside the iPhone 12 series, 2) it only works with the iPhone Air, not any other iPhone 17 models or older iPhones because of the bigger dimensions, and 3) it’s pretty dang thin. Snapped to the back of the iPhone Air, it doesn’t add that much thickness or weight. I still love my OG MagSafe Battery, and I think I’ll probably be okay with this one.
A closer look at the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery Pack and how it compares to the old MagSafe Battery Pack. It’s thinner, larger, and charges with USB-C! $99 to add more battery life to the iPhone Air #AppleEventpic.twitter.com/Ssmbo5wScQ
I’ll need to use an iPhone Air for more than a few minutes overall to really see if everything is up to snuff—the screen, the performance, the battery life, the cameras, and the speakers. But as the new aspirational iPhone, Apple nailed it. I have been an iPhone Pro user since the iPhone 11 Pro. I shoot a lot of photos and video, and want as much battery life and performance as possible without going Pro Max. (I still care about a phone that I can use with one hand and that fits into my pants pockets.) The iPhone Air is stunning to look at and hold, but will any potential compromises be dealbreakers? The only way to find out is to fully test it.
My husband is a gadget enthusiast. He’s already on his second folding smartphone — a Galaxy Z Flip7 — after having a Motorola Razr when it first came out. I’m more of a “convince me” kind of gadget lover. If I see a reason to get excited, I’m in. Otherwise, I’ll stick with what I’ve got until I have a reason to upgrade. I still remember when Apple came out with Touch ID to end password fatigue. I bought one immediately.
I’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for more than a decade because my work computer is a Mac and having my phone and Watch all work together is both practical and helpful. Yes, that’s the definition of the Apple moat. But I wouldn’t consider myself a fangirl. For the record, my personal computer — meaning the one I bought myself for non-job-related uses — is an HP Spectre on Windows. And I love it.
So, I’m still using an iPhone 13. As much as I like how hubby’s phone fits so nicely in a pocket, I prefer practicality over novelty. But my phone’s battery and touchscreen are aging, and it doesn’t have a chip powerful enough to run the promised Apple Intelligence AI future. So it’s time for an upgrade.
Today, I was within a heartbeat of preparing to preorder the new iPhone Air. It looked like the best of all worlds to me: bigger screen yet small enough to fit in my small hand, best chip, and only $200 more than a 17, but still cheaper than a Pro. I’ve never been a Pro user. I don’t film Hollywood-esq movies, have no social media-creator hobbies, so I’ve always opted for the better price.
In the Air’s favor, it has a 6.5-inch screen, compared to the 17’s 6.3-inch, yet is lighter to hold. It also has the A19 Pro chip, rather than A19 chip. But oddly, this isn’t the same Pro chip that’s in the Pro phone. It has a 6-core CPU with a 5-core GPU. That’s similar to the A19 in the 17. (The Pro model has a 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU.)
The 17 beats the Air on battery life, too, promising 30 hours of video playtime versus the Air’s 27 hours, according to Apple. And while another $99 will buy a battery pack for the Air, bringing battery life up to 40 hours, that pack defeats the purpose of a lighter, thinner phone.
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The Air is using a new and interesting computational photography camera, meaning camera features powered by software. This allows a single lens to act like multiple lenses — including a delightful new feature that allows simultaneous front and rear camera shots. That’s good for filming reactions to the world and would be fun to own! But the Air lacks the 48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide lens the 17 has.
The Air’s storage options are far better — up to 1TB — but for a price. The 1T option costs $1,400, which makes it only $100 less than a 1T storage on a Pro at $1,500.
All in all, as much as I want to love the larger-screen, lighter Air, if I were to treat myself and get a higher-end phone, I’d just go ahead and buy a Pro.
If the Air becomes Apple’s folding phone, as some suspect, I may ditch my 17 for a stunning folding iPhone at that point. Until then, for regular Joe users like me, the 17 still seems like a better deal.
