I just like this phone but coming from Android charging this thing, is so ridiculous slow lol. 1.5 hours from 0 to 100%. C'mon.
Last edited:
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone Air iPhone Air First Impressions Mega-Thread [MERGED]
- Thread starter Geert76
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I have now tried out the Air for two weeks and decided to try it against the regular 17 for the past week and am sticking with the Air.
Speaker is obviously louder on the 17 however I did notice with the single speaker that the clarity of the voice is better whereas the 17 sounds a bit muffled sometimes though it can be set to be louder which is helpful in like 10% of the situations I have encountered where the content has less than perfect audio. Not enough to make a difference to me and I find with my slightly hard of hearing that the clarity works better for me.
Battery life on the 17 was not much better I got maybe 30 mins more a day of SOT, not enough to be impactful to me since I can just plug in the phone for 30 mins at the end of the day and then the battery lasts me from 6 am to 9pm with 5-8 hours of SOT. I previously had the 16pro and after about 8 months had to charge that at the end of the day as well and the 17 I tested also needed topping off to make it a full 15 hours. I did find removing widgets increases the battery life a bit on the Air and I don’t really need them since I can just use the app if I need that info.
Camera is not an issue cause I am not using the tele, UW or macro really so Air works fine in that respect.
The displays were a big deal to me not just because of size which is one aspect but I feel like the clarity of the screen is better on my air and brighter and it is just a more enjoyable experience reading content on this phone.
So all in all I just find the Air a more pleasant experience in hand and that the things some might find lacking are not for me and I am glad I tested the 17 to see that for myself.
Speaker is obviously louder on the 17 however I did notice with the single speaker that the clarity of the voice is better whereas the 17 sounds a bit muffled sometimes though it can be set to be louder which is helpful in like 10% of the situations I have encountered where the content has less than perfect audio. Not enough to make a difference to me and I find with my slightly hard of hearing that the clarity works better for me.
Battery life on the 17 was not much better I got maybe 30 mins more a day of SOT, not enough to be impactful to me since I can just plug in the phone for 30 mins at the end of the day and then the battery lasts me from 6 am to 9pm with 5-8 hours of SOT. I previously had the 16pro and after about 8 months had to charge that at the end of the day as well and the 17 I tested also needed topping off to make it a full 15 hours. I did find removing widgets increases the battery life a bit on the Air and I don’t really need them since I can just use the app if I need that info.
Camera is not an issue cause I am not using the tele, UW or macro really so Air works fine in that respect.
The displays were a big deal to me not just because of size which is one aspect but I feel like the clarity of the screen is better on my air and brighter and it is just a more enjoyable experience reading content on this phone.
So all in all I just find the Air a more pleasant experience in hand and that the things some might find lacking are not for me and I am glad I tested the 17 to see that for myself.
Last edited:
I just like this phone but coming from Android charging this thing, is so ridiculous slow lol. 1.5 hours from 0 to 100%. C'mon.
Do you have optimized battery charging on? It should be a lot less than that at 20w, but it’ll never match a lot of android phones that do 45w+.
Do you have an anti reflective screen protector on, and what is that weather widget please?I just like this phone but coming from Android charging this thing, is so ridiculous slow lol. 1.5 hours from 0 to 100%. C'mon.
Well gee, if you're going to take the time for pedantic critique, why not provide useful information? Screens are two-dimensional. Area is what counts. Math isn't difficult. And while we're wasting time, I have to note your 6.55 number is provided by Apple with the caveat, "actual viewable area is less" due to the curvature of the screen, and Apple does, in fact, publish a 6.50" figure.
Even if your number were, in fact, correct, I'm not quite sure the diagonal diffence being 8 one-hundredths of an inch different materially advances the discussion.
Last edited:
106,651 emails 😂I just like this phone but coming from Android charging this thing, is so ridiculous slow lol. 1.5 hours from 0 to 100%. C'mon.
I bought one on the basis that I could be easily returned, but really, coming from an iPhone 15 Pro Max, I thought that the Air would be another BS Apple brain fart.
Not so, is a brilliant device & I have zero issues with all to so-called 'hate' (must be an American thing, zero sum game, winners or losers etc). All of the supposed 'issues": camera, battery life, overheating, mono sound etc. I found none to be relevant at all & this works very well for me. (There's actually threads running about embarassingly being seen in public with an Air (!?). Get a life ....
Also just goes to show just how much hype & BS applies the these other heavy phones with a bizzilion cameras stitched up by sw. Really, if if were serious about photography of filmmaking, I would just use my small panasonic G5 in a small shoulder bag with a few lenses to achieve real bokeh or control depth of field etc vs. the usual simulated rubbish in one of the other Max phones. I'm guessing the outlyers migh tbe things like sneaking in to concerts and taking film with the telephpto.
Brilliant device. Its a keeper. My ProMax went back for trade & I'm not missing it all all, especilaly the weight and size. There are few odd, glitchy iOS 26 things but that applies to the other phones as well, & this OS clearly needs a bit of work.
Not so, is a brilliant device & I have zero issues with all to so-called 'hate' (must be an American thing, zero sum game, winners or losers etc). All of the supposed 'issues": camera, battery life, overheating, mono sound etc. I found none to be relevant at all & this works very well for me. (There's actually threads running about embarassingly being seen in public with an Air (!?). Get a life ....
Also just goes to show just how much hype & BS applies the these other heavy phones with a bizzilion cameras stitched up by sw. Really, if if were serious about photography of filmmaking, I would just use my small panasonic G5 in a small shoulder bag with a few lenses to achieve real bokeh or control depth of field etc vs. the usual simulated rubbish in one of the other Max phones. I'm guessing the outlyers migh tbe things like sneaking in to concerts and taking film with the telephpto.
Brilliant device. Its a keeper. My ProMax went back for trade & I'm not missing it all all, especilaly the weight and size. There are few odd, glitchy iOS 26 things but that applies to the other phones as well, & this OS clearly needs a bit of work.
I just like this phone but coming from Android charging this thing, is so ridiculous slow lol. 1.5 hours from 0 to 100%. C'mon.
This has been my biggest pain point. I’m learning to live with fewer cameras and the decrease in battery life (sorry to all the air battery defenders, but my experience has been that I’m definitely charging noticeably more than my 16PM, and this is 2 weeks in. We are past “indexing” and overuse due to new device- I use my phone no more than I did 2 months ago).
So I have to charge more frequently (fine, I get it, smaller battery) but the charging speed on the air feels PAINFUL compared to my 16PM. Just gotta get used to it I guess. I enjoy the light device experience and love the screen size.
Short version- first phone to entice me away from the 12 mini. Doubts about width and height dimensions overcome by lightness and pocket-ability - I love it
Longer version - I’m a boring phones are too big guy. Wander into apple every year since 12 mini as a tech head unexcited by the same, just bigger devices. Well done Apple - you have won me over to the bigger screen with a light device that is a joy to hold and use and is “mini” in a different way. Yeah it is the worst functionality and value wise of the new phones but as many of us have expressed in this thread, it makes you change your thinking of what you want in a phone. Maybe my views on the air as are niche as they were on the mini but I wanted to share them with small phone fans as we have to accept mini dimensions won’t be back soon and this solves the issue on a different way.
Big love to the mini though. Still my favourite phone of all time.
Longer version - I’m a boring phones are too big guy. Wander into apple every year since 12 mini as a tech head unexcited by the same, just bigger devices. Well done Apple - you have won me over to the bigger screen with a light device that is a joy to hold and use and is “mini” in a different way. Yeah it is the worst functionality and value wise of the new phones but as many of us have expressed in this thread, it makes you change your thinking of what you want in a phone. Maybe my views on the air as are niche as they were on the mini but I wanted to share them with small phone fans as we have to accept mini dimensions won’t be back soon and this solves the issue on a different way.
Big love to the mini though. Still my favourite phone of all time.
The Air maxes out at 20w compared to ~30 on the 16 pro. I believe the 17pro can get to 40w. Probably for thermal protection.
Same thing every year - people find something to complain about and suddenly it's the most important thing ever. Reading some of the comments, you'd think iPhones are primarily speakers with the rest attached or something.
If you're talking about screen size - the Air sits between Pro and Pro Max and the size is quite good. I doubt even Max users would feel the screen is too small. With that said, iPad Mini is a different story - the numbers don't tell the whole story. While Mini is 7.9" and Air is 6.5" (and that difference doesn't sound massive), the iPad has a different aspect ratio which offers quite a different experience.
Androids are in a spec arms race and that includes charging speed. But, faster charging > worse battery health over time. I'd say Apple is conservative for a reason. Just top your phone when you have time and charge it over night.
Nope. Also, the 2:1 aspect ratio just feels weird to me when reading books.
Also if anyone wants a case that feels like you have nothing on the phone the Totallee Scarf is .02” thick and .02oz in weight and feel like nothing. I got the clear frosted one for my blue Air
That looks quite nice. Hey, the phone actually looks blue there. My Sky Blue Air just looks white most of the time.
The iPhone Air has inspired me to go through my settings to optimize battery life and after disabling a bunch of useless stuff I have never run out during a full day. It’s 8:30 pm right now and I have 42% battery left. Total screen active 5:12 hours total screen idle 1:48 hours. I am totally fine with this performance.
My Air was delivered this morning. I’ve used most iterations of iPhones since the 3GS. I am coming from a 15 ProMax and a 13PM before that. These are my first impressions.
*Stunning! Steve and Johnny would be over the moon. RIP Steve Jobs 10/5/2011!
*Feels wonderful in the hand.
*Screen is brilliantly bright. It is also a warm white instead of cool white which I prefer. Disappointed about this.
*Setup was flawless. Phone barely got warm while downloading from iCloud.
*Speed is remarkable. Vast improvement over 15PM.
*Speaker is fine. I’m hard of hearing and I can hear it.
*Battery nosedives while doing anything. Hope it’s just indexing.
*At the end of the day, I love the weight of this phone but already miss the larger screen and size of the ProMax. Not a fan of the tall narrow look. So, jury is still out for now.
*Stunning! Steve and Johnny would be over the moon. RIP Steve Jobs 10/5/2011!
*Feels wonderful in the hand.
*Screen is brilliantly bright. It is also a warm white instead of cool white which I prefer. Disappointed about this.
*Setup was flawless. Phone barely got warm while downloading from iCloud.
*Speed is remarkable. Vast improvement over 15PM.
*Speaker is fine. I’m hard of hearing and I can hear it.
*Battery nosedives while doing anything. Hope it’s just indexing.
*At the end of the day, I love the weight of this phone but already miss the larger screen and size of the ProMax. Not a fan of the tall narrow look. So, jury is still out for now.
I don't know what's the point of your response in that tone. I don't know what problem you're going through, but I hope it gets resolved soon.
And yes, my numbers (Apple numbers) are correct. “Actual viewable area is less” applies to all iPhone.
I read on several (international) forums , Reddit and YouTube a lot of people returning their Air for either the Pro Max or Pro.
I think this Air will have the heighest return rate in Apples iPhone history.
This Air, I guess, is more aimed at former Pro Max (who want weight and size) reduction users and not so much Pro users. To large and the width is not really ergonomic.
For Air owners; did you came from a Pro Max or Pro iPhone?
I think this Air will have the heighest return rate in Apples iPhone history.
This Air, I guess, is more aimed at former Pro Max (who want weight and size) reduction users and not so much Pro users. To large and the width is not really ergonomic.
For Air owners; did you came from a Pro Max or Pro iPhone?