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iPhone Air iPhone Air goodbye

L

London DC

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 30, 2025
5
17
I decided to exchange my Air for a Pro Max. The problem is that if you use the Air like a $200 phone (calls, browsing, social media, and a few photos), the battery lasts almost all day. However, if you try to use it like a 1,000 dollars or 1,200 euro phone, it becomes a problem because the SoC heats up a lot and consumes a lot of power; after 2 hours, it's dead. So I was hesitating whether to keep it and use it like a $200 phone or replace it.
 
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And how exactly does one use a device “like a $1000 dollar phone”?!

You do realise that 90% of people with a Pro device are using it for social media, the odd photo etc… which the Air does with ease.

Just curious what extra you need? Other than extended battery life.
 
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I have both the Air and 17 Pro and I tend to use my Air 90% of the time while my 17 Pro stays inside my iPhone cabinet with the rest of my iPhone collection . . . I do use the 17 Pro but only when I know I will be taking lots of pictures (car meets and stuff) otherwise I stick with my Air as it easily does everything I need an iPhone for. I find the battery life of my Air to be acceptable.
 
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London DC said:
I decided to exchange my Air for a Pro Max. The problem is that if you use the Air like a $200 phone (calls, browsing, social media, and a few photos), the battery lasts almost all day. However, if you try to use it like a 1,000 dollars or 1,200 euro phone, it becomes a problem because the SoC heats up a lot and consumes a lot of power; after 2 hours, it's dead. So I was hesitating whether to keep it and use it like a $200 phone or replace it.
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I bought an Anker wireless charging brick (their version of the iPhone Air Apple battery accessory) and use it as needed, which is not very often. The phone does throttle while video editing, otherwise it performs quite well across the board.
 
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London DC said:
I decided to exchange my Air for a Pro Max. The problem is that if you use the Air like a $200 phone (calls, browsing, social media, and a few photos), the battery lasts almost all day. However, if you try to use it like a 1,000 dollars or 1,200 euro phone, it becomes a problem because the SoC heats up a lot and consumes a lot of power; after 2 hours, it's dead. So I was hesitating whether to keep it and use it like a $200 phone or replace it.
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Congratulations on the 17 Pro Max!🥳
Your experience with the Air sounds like that of many other phones that prioritise being thin, it is all good until it is pushed and then things get wonky.
 
Macdctr said:
I have both the Air and 17 Pro and I tend to use my Air 90% of the time while my 17 Pro stays inside my iPhone cabinet with the rest of my iPhone collection . . . I do use the 17 Pro but only when I know I will be taking lots of pictures (car meets and stuff) otherwise I stick with my Air as it easily does everything I need an iPhone for. I find the battery life of my Air to be acceptable.
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I have the Air and 17 PM and use the Air 100% of the time. I am a medium user and find the Air to be an excellent device.
 
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I feel there may end up being more of us joining the group by the end of the year. I gave mine up to save some monthly cash but I also think the days of design over utility are perhaps behind us which is a shame.
 
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The OP's analogy makes a lot of sense. I suppose some people claim they can use all of their premium phone's functions all day long on a single charge, and that has always sounded amazing to me. The only way for me to get through a day is to use my iPhone 13 mini "like a $200 phone" and use it sparingly throughout the day, along with a midday recharge.
 
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London DC said:
I decided to exchange my Air for a Pro Max. The problem is that if you use the Air like a $200 phone (calls, browsing, social media, and a few photos), the battery lasts almost all day. However, if you try to use it like a 1,000 dollars or 1,200 euro phone, it becomes a problem because the SoC heats up a lot and consumes a lot of power; after 2 hours, it's dead. So I was hesitating whether to keep it and use it like a $200 phone or replace it.
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If Air didn’t fit your use case in the first place why did you buy it?

You probably already knew in advance if you needed to use a phone “like a $1200 phone.”

Or did you try to use it that way just on principle, so you could then bash the Air when it didn’t fit that “need”?

I could just as well say that I tried to use a MacBook Air like a MacBook Pro, but the Air couldn’t handle it. No kidding!

The price doesn’t matter here. The Air might be ”underpowered” compared to Pro. You’re not paying for the specs in case of Air, but for the form factor and style.

If you buy wrong product for yourself don’t blame it on the product or the company.
 
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Ctrlos said:
I feel there may end up being more of us joining the group by the end of the year. I gave mine up to save some monthly cash but I also think the days of design over utility are perhaps behind us which is a shame.
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I love the Air and it meets all my needs. I hope that Apple can find a way to ameliorate its shortcomings and continue to produce this phone in the 18 line. If not I will continue to use to use my Air until it no longer works for me and that will be a sad day.
 
London DC said:
I decided to exchange my Air for a Pro Max. The problem is that if you use the Air like a $200 phone (calls, browsing, social media, and a few photos), the battery lasts almost all day. However, if you try to use it like a 1,000 dollars or 1,200 euro phone, it becomes a problem because the SoC heats up a lot and consumes a lot of power; after 2 hours, it's dead. So I was hesitating whether to keep it and use it like a $200 phone or replace it.
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If you buy an Air, you know you'll have to use it for trivial things and use it sparingly, just like you said when you said "like a $200 phone."
You have a Ferrari that's meant to be used like a Yaris; you need it to show off, but you're getting less bang for your buck than a cheap phone.
People who look at you and see you with the Air don't say, "Wow," but, "Poor guy, that guy can't do that, and that guy has to be careful, otherwise he'll overheat and run out of battery."
 
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I always considered myself a heavy phone user until I decided to be an early adopter for the first time in my life and get an Air. But I'm able to do everything I need to use my phone for in a day starting from an 80% limit overnight charge, usually with room to spare before I even hit low power mode at 20%. Meanwhile, everyone else is out there tanking their battery in 45 minutes flat or carrying six battery packs around in their bag to get them through the day.

I am not a heavy phone user. 😢
 
I actually use the speaker and the .5 lense, so it's a no go no matter how good the battery is, even onsale at $400AUD off here now.
 
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iThinkurBeats said:
If you buy an Air, you know you'll have to use it for trivial things and use it sparingly, just like you said when you said "like a $200 phone."
You have a Ferrari that's meant to be used like a Yaris; you need it to show off, but you're getting less bang for your buck than a cheap phone.
People who look at you and see you with the Air don't say, "Wow," but, "Poor guy, that guy can't do that, and that guy has to be careful, otherwise he'll overheat and run out of battery."
Click to expand...
Do you concern yourself with what others might think about your phone?
 
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