I think whether it’s better or worse than another phone is largely irrelevant. The main question is, can it last a full day with an average person’s uses?
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iPhone Air iPhone Air First Impressions Mega-Thread [MERGED]
- Thread starter Geert76
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Well, I think it’s worthwhile to point out for people that Apple are basically lying about the battery life on the Air. Suggesting it’s on par with the 16 Pro is simply not true.
In my experience the Air’s battery life was comparable to my two year old iPhone 15 with 89% battery health.
The iPhone Air already has one major flaw — and AR glasses users won't be happy
Not the right USB-C port for the job
Can anyone else confirm that USB video out doesn’t work?
It is absolutely true for me.
It wasn't on day 1-2, with all of the indexing and optimization (and probably some of the "ooh new shiny" factor leading me to play with it more), but it is now. I finished yesterday with 25% battery, I usually was finishing days with my Pro Max with 30-40%.
The iPhone Air already has one major flaw — and AR glasses users won't be happy
Not the right USB-C port for the jobwww.tomsguide.com
Can anyone else confirm that USB video out doesn’t work?
I can't confirm as I don't have anything to test it with, but it is a USB-2 port and Tom's guide isn't the type of publication to make something up.
From what I understand, the iPhone 15 and 16 (non-pro) also used USB-2. And I’m pretty sure every Lightning iPhone supported video out too.
You’re right about Tom's guide. Weird thing to not include in the phone though.
There have been direct comparisons already -
Spoiler - the 16 pro wins, by 9 minutes (~ 2% longer)
Could be a bug? Or somehow related to the fact that the port is custom 3D printed? Agree seems weird not to include.
I have a one year old 16 Pro and can easily see the Air battery beating it, I can require my phone needing to be charged by the afternoon
Posting here since I don't know where else to gather inputs - picked up the iPhone Air on Saturday. No issues until Monday, when it started to randomly restart itself multiple times in the AM. Stopped by late morning. Called Apple Support and they ran a diagnostic virtually and said everything was fine. It continued to restart. One time the wifi took awhile to turn back on (greyed out in Settings), another time the haptic was off and it kept showing that it was charging (even though I took it off the charger).
Went to the Apple store and they said there was a motherboard issue. Swapped for a new one. Well, the replacement just did a random restart. I've gotten two 'defective' (most likely) devices, I assume this is a more widespread issue than just me hitting back to back lemons. Anyone else?
Went to the Apple store and they said there was a motherboard issue. Swapped for a new one. Well, the replacement just did a random restart. I've gotten two 'defective' (most likely) devices, I assume this is a more widespread issue than just me hitting back to back lemons. Anyone else?
I don't see it out of the realm of possibility that the Air and 16 Pro have similar battery life. But are they using a 1 year old iphone 16 pro vs a new out of the box air? Could have some impact using a battery aged a year.
Mrwhosetheboss test seems to be an anomaly compared to every other battery test I’ve seen so I would take his results with some salt. For one he seems to test phones without any cell network which isn’t really real world usage.
How is the the new C1X modem on the Air? How are the cellular speeds? How is battery with 5G on the Air?
Random thoughts after several days with the phone:
Took the Pitaka case off. It was creating sharp spots near the charge port that were digging into my pinky. Guess it’s no case and AppleCare this time around.
The speaker is pretty bad.
Typing accuracy is much better for me on a slightly larger keyboard.
Battery has been fine for how I use it. Long ago I found it helpful to turn the percentage off on the battery icon. It’s much harder to fixate on it without a number.
When I see other phones now, they look deformed to me, being so thick and bulbous.
This phone disappears in jeans pockets.
My mindset has slowly shifted to this being the standard by which other phones are judged. The bulk of a pro phone is the compromise for having more cameras and battery.
Apple spent a lot of time convincing us titanium is a premium material in the Apple Watch and iPhone 15 launch.
Took the Pitaka case off. It was creating sharp spots near the charge port that were digging into my pinky. Guess it’s no case and AppleCare this time around.
The speaker is pretty bad.
Typing accuracy is much better for me on a slightly larger keyboard.
Battery has been fine for how I use it. Long ago I found it helpful to turn the percentage off on the battery icon. It’s much harder to fixate on it without a number.
When I see other phones now, they look deformed to me, being so thick and bulbous.
This phone disappears in jeans pockets.
My mindset has slowly shifted to this being the standard by which other phones are judged. The bulk of a pro phone is the compromise for having more cameras and battery.
Apple spent a lot of time convincing us titanium is a premium material in the Apple Watch and iPhone 15 launch.
Hi everyone,
I’ve been debating for a while whether to post this or not, but I thought I’d share my impressions.
At first, I was planning to get the 17 Pro, but since Apple doesn’t offer the eSIM-only version in Europe, it kind of annoyed me. It felt like I’d be settling for the “second choice.” So I decided to go with the Air instead.
I had been eyeing the Air for a while anyway, because I really like the minimalist approach. I also noticed that ever since I got my Fuji, I don’t take that many photos with my iPhone anymore. Whether it’s one lens or three — they’re still phone photos. Don’t get me wrong, the images are fine, but it’s not the same as a real camera. I prefer fewer shots that actually have quality and meaning, rather than just snapping endlessly. For that, one lens on the iPhone is enough for me. I mostly use it for practical, everyday stuff.
The device itself is great — it feels very “original Apple” in the hand. Especially the weight: despite the size, it’s really comfortable to use. I also like how focused the Air feels — very efficient, very Apple. You notice it in the battery life too. I’d compare it to the 16 Pro, but what stands out is how much more consistent the battery drain is. The percentages go down more evenly, and 5G is way more efficient than on the 16 Pro, where I used to see the biggest losses.
The size is kind of ideal too. I just enjoy picking it up to type and communicate — much more than with my 16 Pro. That one always felt like a brick to me: too heavy for its size. The Air is a completely different experience. Even with a case, it just feels really good in the hand.
For my needs, the Air is perfect. It easily lasts me through the day — but I also don’t need to be on my phone 24/7. Yesterday I tested it with 6 hours of screen time, lots of 5G, just to see how far it goes. And honestly, afterwards I told myself: damn, I can’t be spending 6 hours a day on my phone anyway.
I get why everyone wants more and more battery life, and sure, for work that might be essential. But I also wonder: maybe instead of always chasing longer battery life, I should just try to cut down my screen time a bit.
In the end, I don’t really get the whole “Air vs Pro” debate. Why does one have to be “better” than the other? Different devices can exist side by side — just like cars: some people want an SUV, some a convertible, some a sports car. Back in the Nokia days, there was so much diversity — so many different shapes, designs, and concepts. Not every phone was the most advanced, but some stood out simply because they had great design, like the old Nokia 8210. That variety was part of the charm, and maybe we should remember that the best device is simply the one that fits our own needs the most.
I’ve been debating for a while whether to post this or not, but I thought I’d share my impressions.
At first, I was planning to get the 17 Pro, but since Apple doesn’t offer the eSIM-only version in Europe, it kind of annoyed me. It felt like I’d be settling for the “second choice.” So I decided to go with the Air instead.
I had been eyeing the Air for a while anyway, because I really like the minimalist approach. I also noticed that ever since I got my Fuji, I don’t take that many photos with my iPhone anymore. Whether it’s one lens or three — they’re still phone photos. Don’t get me wrong, the images are fine, but it’s not the same as a real camera. I prefer fewer shots that actually have quality and meaning, rather than just snapping endlessly. For that, one lens on the iPhone is enough for me. I mostly use it for practical, everyday stuff.
The device itself is great — it feels very “original Apple” in the hand. Especially the weight: despite the size, it’s really comfortable to use. I also like how focused the Air feels — very efficient, very Apple. You notice it in the battery life too. I’d compare it to the 16 Pro, but what stands out is how much more consistent the battery drain is. The percentages go down more evenly, and 5G is way more efficient than on the 16 Pro, where I used to see the biggest losses.
The size is kind of ideal too. I just enjoy picking it up to type and communicate — much more than with my 16 Pro. That one always felt like a brick to me: too heavy for its size. The Air is a completely different experience. Even with a case, it just feels really good in the hand.
For my needs, the Air is perfect. It easily lasts me through the day — but I also don’t need to be on my phone 24/7. Yesterday I tested it with 6 hours of screen time, lots of 5G, just to see how far it goes. And honestly, afterwards I told myself: damn, I can’t be spending 6 hours a day on my phone anyway.
I get why everyone wants more and more battery life, and sure, for work that might be essential. But I also wonder: maybe instead of always chasing longer battery life, I should just try to cut down my screen time a bit.
In the end, I don’t really get the whole “Air vs Pro” debate. Why does one have to be “better” than the other? Different devices can exist side by side — just like cars: some people want an SUV, some a convertible, some a sports car. Back in the Nokia days, there was so much diversity — so many different shapes, designs, and concepts. Not every phone was the most advanced, but some stood out simply because they had great design, like the old Nokia 8210. That variety was part of the charm, and maybe we should remember that the best device is simply the one that fits our own needs the most.
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They absolutely do. My theory is the Apple-designed modem uses significantly less energy than the modem in the pros. But the battery is definitely on par with the 16 Pro.
Yes! Everyone is fixated on the Air’s “compromises” and not being fair in acknowledging that the bulky devices have their own compromises.
Yep. I am trying to decide which compromise is the bigger one. This idea that "there are no compromises with the Pro/Pro Max" just isn't true at all. The Air is so much nicer in pocket and in hand. Switching to the Pro will absolutely be a compromise for better cameras. One that I may end up making, but it's absolutely a compromise.
A big factor for me is the damn pocket imprint my 16 pro gives me. On dark jeans it makes a white outline