To be honest Apple should just price and push the Air as the enterprise phone (rather than the 16E) and cut their losses until they release the (hopefully) improved Air 2
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iPhone Air Do you still love the iPhone Air?
- Thread starter awshucks
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Yes £999, argos have price matched Amazon UK selling it now for £849. In the UK it’s rare for retailers to drop the price of an iPhone by £150. Base iPhone 17 still at £799 RRP price probably as they sell very well.
Most companies globally don't even buy phones for employees. The dominant and increasingly popular policy is to provide a stipend for BYOD. This is because most employees don't want to carry a crappy work phone.
And there's no reason for companies to pay even $1 more for iPhone Air instead of 16e. It's like saying instead of F-150 or Camry, companies should offer a Audi Sportback. No company would do that.
Admittedly, I don’t get a “wow” effect from the Air.
I’m coming from an iPhone SE third-generation and I’ve owned every iPhone including the iPhone 6 so there’s really not a stark contrast. Impressively iPhone Air is thinner overall than iPhone 6, more than I assumed, while being about 20g heavier than iPhone SE so the lightweight form factor is lost on me. I’m curious how I’d feel if I went directly to an iPhone 17 Pro, as then the difference compared to a modern phone would be more obvious. The last form factor to give me a “wow” effect in the hand was the newest Motorola Razr, which means that a foldable iPhone should also have an effect that’s immediately impressive.
I’m coming from an iPhone SE third-generation and I’ve owned every iPhone including the iPhone 6 so there’s really not a stark contrast. Impressively iPhone Air is thinner overall than iPhone 6, more than I assumed, while being about 20g heavier than iPhone SE so the lightweight form factor is lost on me. I’m curious how I’d feel if I went directly to an iPhone 17 Pro, as then the difference compared to a modern phone would be more obvious. The last form factor to give me a “wow” effect in the hand was the newest Motorola Razr, which means that a foldable iPhone should also have an effect that’s immediately impressive.
Huh, plugging in a USB-C cable and the iPhone Air being thinner than the Beats Studio Pro cable connector is my first example of being impressed by the thinness.
Interestingly, having Music Haptics enabled with headphones plugged in causes the vibrations to echo through the headphone drivers which is kind of fun.
Interestingly, having Music Haptics enabled with headphones plugged in causes the vibrations to echo through the headphone drivers which is kind of fun.
Honestly, after 3 months in I couldn't be happier with mine in my use case, it's perfect for me.
I got the 17 pro for work and my god its horrible to hold after using the Air.
Seen a lot of videos of "tech YouTubers" switching to the air because they know its just the nicer more fun device.
even 9to5mac admitted they always buy the most expensive etc etc but the Air is actually nicer and they've switched after knocking it at launch.
Lesson here is IGNORE TECH MEDIA and try for yourself.
Seen a lot of videos of "tech YouTubers" switching to the air because they know its just the nicer more fun device.
even 9to5mac admitted they always buy the most expensive etc etc but the Air is actually nicer and they've switched after knocking it at launch.
Lesson here is IGNORE TECH MEDIA and try for yourself.
I spent a month watching all the tech reviews / posts / YouTube videos and ... it wasn't till I had the Pro, Air, and Pro Max in my hand (and using them for awhile) was I able to make a decision.
The Air is by far the BEST in hand feeling experience phone I've ever had. The screen is amazing. The battery life is very doable. The cameras were something I badly missed. But that feel in the hand (with a dbrand grip case) - was AMAZING. So much so I want to go back... so bad.
But yes, what you said... made me instantly realize that all those videos / posts I read were completely useless to me - I got more out of holding the phone in my hand than hundreds of videos.
I saw all those YouTube videos on the Air as well and took them as they should be taken . . . with a grain of salt. Until you actually hold and interact with the Air you can't really appreciate what this thin and light iPhone brings to the overall feel and use. As you have said, you need to spend some time with the device and you have had the Pro/Pro Max/Air to use so you got first hand experience with all three. That's amazing!!!
I have always been a Pro Max user ever since the 11 Pro Max and never looked at any other iPhone to my regret . . . the 13 mini never appeared on my radar until after I had gotten my Air and used it for two months. After using my Air I realized what I really wanted for my iPhone use was a lighter and/or more compact footprint rather than the bulky utilitarian style of the current Pro series iPhone so I picked up my 13 mini and have been using this iPhone as a backup iPhone since. I have come to really appreciate the smaller more compact style...
Getting back to the Air, since I have gotten my Air I have also picked up a new Deep Blue 17 Pro and do use this iPhone occasionally however my main iPhone is still the Air. I really love how this iPhone performs, looks and feels as compared to all the iPhones I have ever owned and/or used. The only other iPhone that comes to this level of comfort in using a phone is the 13 mini I purchased in December. Smaller and/or lighter iPhones is where I am headed and I feel the Air is a solid iPhone, not perfect, but a solid performer. For the times I need an ultra wide angle lens to take a picture, I can easily take out my 13 mini or 17 Pro and capture those moments. The mini works well with the Air. At least for my use case it does
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For those in AUS, the air and the 17 are now at parity pricing. I feel bad for those that paid full price at the start.
Honestly this seems about the right price point; they should've launched it at parity instead of burning early adopters.
If anything I think that if they made it using the regular A19 instead of the gimped A19 pro, they could've justified launching it at a pricepoint slightly lower and it probably would've had a cult following.
Honestly this seems about the right price point; they should've launched it at parity instead of burning early adopters.
If anything I think that if they made it using the regular A19 instead of the gimped A19 pro, they could've justified launching it at a pricepoint slightly lower and it probably would've had a cult following.
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I still still STILL love my air. And normally by January I'm starting to get that familiar itch about what the next gen phones will be like, I still am to some extent, but I'm perfectly contented with the Air for another year or longer if for some catastrophic reason there were no 2026 releases. Their whole plan seems wonky to me right now.
As to the tech bloggers....sigh....they earn their living based on clicks, so every title is provocative or controversial, I've really stopped paying attention because the phone is no longer new to me. If others are new to the Air, I suggest looking up the videos from September, not what they are churning out now.
On Air 2...I don't know....it seems like phone makers always start out with a good thing, and then they ruin it. I suspect they'll react to all the tech blogging criticism and begin adding stuff: another lens, a cooling layer, and bigger battery and next thing you know, it's no longer light and airy....thanks a lot youtubers!
As to the tech bloggers....sigh....they earn their living based on clicks, so every title is provocative or controversial, I've really stopped paying attention because the phone is no longer new to me. If others are new to the Air, I suggest looking up the videos from September, not what they are churning out now.
On Air 2...I don't know....it seems like phone makers always start out with a good thing, and then they ruin it. I suspect they'll react to all the tech blogging criticism and begin adding stuff: another lens, a cooling layer, and bigger battery and next thing you know, it's no longer light and airy....thanks a lot youtubers!
4sallypat! I scrolled through this entire thread to see if anyone posted from our epic pre-release thread and there you were. Glad you are still loving the Air because I credit you for changing my mind on it. You were one of the earliest going for the Air and changed a lot of our minds I believe.
Now the pic of Hawaii is gorgeous, one of my favorite places to visit in the world!
And I agree on everything you said about it. See you in September!
Works slightly different in the Uk. They do bulk enterprise deals and push the 16E, hence why if the Air isn’t willing they should just offer that.
I’m several months in and still enjoy it. It’s a simple phone which I love.
I don’t think the Air was the right choice for me. I wanted to try something new, innovative, and cutting-edge but the drawbacks have proven to be inconveniently prominent.
Single speaker - fine, very good quality, usable for scrolling and music. The difference becomes noticeable and antiquated with a series or movie playing, which should at least encourage headphone usage.
Single camera - also fine, I’m able to take pictures that are used as top results garnering many hits with an iPhone SE so it’s really not a concern. Major upgrade over the iPhone SE camera, which itself isn’t as bad as would be assumed. The optical-quality 2x zoom is enough for me to feel like there’s an extra lens. I would hardly ever use an Ultrawide so not a big deal.
Battery life - I didn’t think this would be a concern, but I get 4-6 hours of active use on average even without cellular activated.
Performance - I enjoy testing games like Assassin’s Creed: Mirage as I find it to be a novelty to have on an iPhone and while it’s playable the difference in sustained performance does become noticeable over time.
Design - looks and feels great, but again coming from an iPhone SE there’s no “wow” effect for me personally as I was expecting.
Truth be told I’d switch to an iPhone 17 Pro or even an iPhone 17 if the flickering didn’t still cause tensions headaches/migraines. The PWM Accessibility toggle does prevent or mitigate the worst possible throbbing-behind-the-eye headaches at least.
Single speaker - fine, very good quality, usable for scrolling and music. The difference becomes noticeable and antiquated with a series or movie playing, which should at least encourage headphone usage.
Single camera - also fine, I’m able to take pictures that are used as top results garnering many hits with an iPhone SE so it’s really not a concern. Major upgrade over the iPhone SE camera, which itself isn’t as bad as would be assumed. The optical-quality 2x zoom is enough for me to feel like there’s an extra lens. I would hardly ever use an Ultrawide so not a big deal.
Battery life - I didn’t think this would be a concern, but I get 4-6 hours of active use on average even without cellular activated.
Performance - I enjoy testing games like Assassin’s Creed: Mirage as I find it to be a novelty to have on an iPhone and while it’s playable the difference in sustained performance does become noticeable over time.
Design - looks and feels great, but again coming from an iPhone SE there’s no “wow” effect for me personally as I was expecting.
Truth be told I’d switch to an iPhone 17 Pro or even an iPhone 17 if the flickering didn’t still cause tensions headaches/migraines. The PWM Accessibility toggle does prevent or mitigate the worst possible throbbing-behind-the-eye headaches at least.
Good review.
Yeah I tell friends who are interested in the Air that they probably shouldn’t get it if:
- they’re a heavy camera user OR
- they play graphics-intensive games OR
- they're a heavy phone user in general AND unable or unwilling to charge at times throughout the day
(There can be more reasons like the speaker, but I think these are the most prominent)
I suppose everyone has their own definition of “heavy phone user”, but I would say 4 hours of active use starts getting into heavy territory. During the week I use my phone a lot more than 4 hours at work and in my car, but my phone is always charging in those places so that doesn’t really count. The true normal battery test for me is on weekends when I’m out and about away from chargers. I don’t really track my usage time but I would say I’m a light to moderate user and so I almost always end up with tons of battery left over at the end of the day with my Air. I even forget to charge overnight a lot and it sometimes still lasts me most or all of the next day. Maybe on those days I’m an ultralight user haha. But yes, though the Air is great for me, it’s certainly not for everyone.
So the 17s give you headaches but the Air doesn’t? That’s strange, I thought they all pretty much share the same OLED screen tech.
Another advice is, in my opinion, buy the Air if you are okay using it caseless. With a case you lost one its best features.
I just bought one to replace my iPhone 17 Pro, especially because there was a huge discount here in Singapore ($1099 down from $1599, local currency).
I realized my phone usage is mostly work emails, Whatsapp, casual Youtube and a bit of news reading on Flipboard. Basic camera usage, if any.
And even though the Pro felt AMAZING in my hand, I kept thinking of how thin and light the Air felt when I tried it in stores. At first I wasn't a fan of the feel due to how wide it is, but after using it for a couple of days with my normal routine, I'm convinced it was a good choice
I realized my phone usage is mostly work emails, Whatsapp, casual Youtube and a bit of news reading on Flipboard. Basic camera usage, if any.
And even though the Pro felt AMAZING in my hand, I kept thinking of how thin and light the Air felt when I tried it in stores. At first I wasn't a fan of the feel due to how wide it is, but after using it for a couple of days with my normal routine, I'm convinced it was a good choice
I don’t struggle with the size or weight of my iPhone 14 Pro Max although I am glad of one Air product line…the MacBook Air 15”
Looked at a MacBook Pro 16” in the Apple Store the other day and it felt like an absolute tank in comparison!
Looked at a MacBook Pro 16” in the Apple Store the other day and it felt like an absolute tank in comparison!
Oh yes, waiting for the next iteration of the Air.
Hoping for Air 2 this fall ?
Gotta love the 17 Air - it's been a perfect design for me.
Yes I think this a good summary, of who in general, is the demographic that the Air makes the most sense for.
When I've spoken to a few people out and about over the last 4 months about the phone... I tell them, in my opinion, the "hinge factor" that is make or break for me, is the camera. Specifically, not having the telephoto zoom lens. That's the only thing I've really felt like I've missed since getting the Air (coming from 15PM, 13PM, 12PM, X before that).
But that's been maybe 3 or 4 times over the last 4 months. All when I wanted more zoomed in-video (kids soccer game, concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas, etc). 95% of the photos I take would be 1x / 2x so is essentially the same as Pro/Pro Max. And all the rest of the time, I love the thinness, weight, goldilocks-size, and sleekness of the Air caseless.
It's not a perfect phone. But I do and still prefer it over the Pro / PM experience!
Width is the thing that surprised me the most when unboxing the Air for the first time. Less wide than I thought it would feel. Even with this Pitaka case, it is barely wider than my 13 Pro with the Apple leather case (I sold my 15 Pro). It is actually slightly less wide than my Mous and Spigen case.
I got a Pitaka and an Apple Bumper for Christmas. I've been daily driving the Pitaka.
I know the bumper is a throwback to the iPhone 4 bumper, but even as a person who loves old Apple products, I think the Air bumper does not feel as good in the hand and makes the phone quite a bit thicker.
I have no plans to get an Air 2. I keep my phone on my MagSafe Duo when not in use, so a bigger battery is not convincing.
I got a Pitaka and an Apple Bumper for Christmas. I've been daily driving the Pitaka.
I know the bumper is a throwback to the iPhone 4 bumper, but even as a person who loves old Apple products, I think the Air bumper does not feel as good in the hand and makes the phone quite a bit thicker.
I have no plans to get an Air 2. I keep my phone on my MagSafe Duo when not in use, so a bigger battery is not convincing.