iPhone Air Review: Four Months Later, is Apple's Thinnest iPhone Worth $999?

[MacRumors]

It's been four months since the iPhone Air came out, and it hasn't exactly been a resounding success. Sales are reportedly so low that Apple is delaying the next-generation model. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera shares what it's been like using Apple's thinnest and lightest iPhone on a daily basis over the last few months.

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With its super thin design, the iPhone Air still impresses even months later. It's much lighter than the other iPhone models, and a pleasure to use because of it. The iPhone Air is Apple's best one-handed smartphone, plus it impresses everyone who tries it out.

The frosted glass texture is attractive, and thanks to that titanium frame, it's durable. The glass resists fingerprints, plus it's not slippery, so it can be used without a case. That's a good thing, since a case tends to ruin the ultra thin feel. The iPhone Air is all glass, though, so it's still breakable if dropped and AppleCare+ is recommended.

The iPhone Air has the smallest battery in the iPhone 17 lineup, and there was a lot of concern that it wouldn't last all day. As long as you're not using it for high-end gaming, the battery is totally fine. Dan hasn't had a problem with battery life for day-to-day activities like browsing social media, YouTube, navigating, and using CarPlay.

If you're someone who only uses the Wide camera on the iPhone, you might not miss the Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses, but having only a single-lens rear camera is one of the iPhone Air's major downsides. You get 1x and 2x zoom, but no 0.5x mode, no macro lens, and no 5x telephoto lens. It's definitely a dealbreaker for some people.

There's also only a single speaker, and while it's fine for use in quiet rooms, if you like to use your iPhone for things like listening to music in the shower, it might not be good enough.

The biggest thing wrong with the iPhone Air is the price tag. Sure, it's light, thin, and has an impressive design, but it's $999. For $200 less, you can get the standard iPhone 17 with two cameras and near identical performance, and for $100 more, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro, which has three cameras and faster performance. The only sacrifice is thinness, and it's clear that most people aren't willing to pay more to lose features for a thin and light design.

At this point, it's not entirely clear when a new iPhone Air is coming out. Rumors originally suggested we'd get the second-generation model in the fall of 2026, but sales were below expectations, so Apple is holding back on a new model to make some changes.

The next iPhone Air could have a second camera and display improvements like a smaller Dynamic Island to make it more appealing, with a potential launch happening in spring 2027.

Article Link: iPhone Air Review: Four Months Later, is Apple's Thinnest iPhone Worth $999?

 

[B.A.T]

Best phone I've ever owned end of story.

 

[MacUserFella]

Why pay $1000 for a bad phone when you can either pay an extra $100 or save $200 for a better phone

 

[8483011]

Getting ready for these comments 🍿

 

[8483011]

Why pay $1000 for a bad phone when you can either pay an extra $100 or save $200 for a better phone

Because "bad" and "better" are subjective.

 

[Lloigorr]

To me, it’s not. But it’s just me.

 

[cihag]

I’ll die on this hill: As a secondary phone, it‘s amazing! (I use it as a work phone)

 

[onedrunkhorse]

It really is a nice handset, but not worth the cost when you consider the sacrifices to make it this thin. It's expected from a first gen product though.

 

[Nyx1]

Congratulations to the people who bought it, you were just guinea pigs for Apple's experiments.

 

[Salty Pirate]

Love the form factor. Iphones have gotten too big and heavy. I often reach down in a panic because I can't tell that the phone is there, it is that light and thin.

That being said, little bit of a bummer on the camera and lack of stereo speakers, but to a jedi, those things matter not.

 

[Baritone_Guy]

Best phone I've ever owned end of story.

Me as well.

 

[RowellE]

Love mine

 

[8483011]

Congratulations to the people who bought it, you were just guinea pigs for Apple's experiments.

Could be said about any first gen product from any company.

 

[Anywhere - Music Player]

Results for my app, for the last 3 months.

 

[fultonjt]

Still love this phone. Prefect screen size and no bulk.

 

[arthurgd3]

I’ll die on this hill: As a secondary phone, it‘s amazing! (I use it as a work phone)

Where do we start with that statemnt? Oh yeah, duh, many, a large many, are still not okay with the thought of their next phone costing $1,000+ but you're saying people should consider a $1,000+ phone that is weak in so many ways that can't be justified to be used as your primary phone but perfectly fine as a secondary phone? Right, I'm buying that one.

Also I have a secondary phone/work phone. This whole secondary phone concept, not sure who or what popularized it but there is nothing glamorous about juggling two phones and that's a hill I'd die on all day every day.

 

[turbineseaplane]

If they'd made a smaller version I would have one.

 

[Ja50n]

The combination of compromised camera and speaker are too much for me. I’d put more consideration toward a Mini with Pro features than an Air missing basic ones.

 

[macbookj0e]

Why pay $1000 for a bad phone when you can either pay an extra $100 or save $200 for a better phone

How is it a “bad” phone when it’s the best phone I’ve ever owned? Take it you don’t actually have one? Isn’t it subjective depending on users needs?

Anyway on topic, I love the Air, the 12gb ram has made noticeable improvements to usability having lots of apps/tabs etc open plus the c1x modem is superb and very much improved hot spotting/airdrop which I use for work.

 

[anthony13]

Best iPhone ever and it’s not even particularly close.

 

[jclardy]

As someone with an Air, coming from someone that alternates from Max to Pro, to Mini and back again...the Air is far and away the best iPhone I've ever owned, and I don't think I could go back to a standard one. It goes into my iPhone hall of fame, which includes the 4, 5s, X, 11 Pro (green), 12 mini, 15 Pro Max (for the titanium) and now the Air.

It just feels like something from 5 years in the future when compared to my old brick 15 Pro Max or my 16 Pro. And durability-wise it is incredible - I accidentally dropped it on straight concrete from 4 ft, the frame didn't even get a scratch. The aluminum pro would have surely had some deep welts from the same fall.

 

[UliBaer]

The bang for the buck does not compute for me for this device.
But there are also people paying $2000 or more just for a pair of fashionable shoes.
A fashion victim and its money are easily separated - so... ¯\_(シ)_/¯

 

[skoodlyboop]

Got mine for "free" from AT&T (the fact that they're doing that deal points to poor sales...) and I love it. The battery life is great (especially while using cellular data instead of Wi-Fi), the cellular performance is great, the screen is super nice, and it feels really nice to hold.

 

[8483011]

Where do we start with that statemnt? Oh yeah, duh, many, a large many, are still not okay with the thought of their next phone costing $1,000+ but you're saying people should consider a $1,000+ phone that is weak in so many ways that can't be justified to be used as your primary phone but perfectly fine as a secondary phone? Right, I'm buying that one.

Also I have a secondary phone/work phone. This whole secondary phone concept, not sure who or what popularized it but there is nothing glamorous about juggling two phones and that's a hill I'd die on all day every day.

Where do we start with this statement? Nobody told you what phone to buy lol. If you don't like it, don't buy it? We do it with cereal why can't we do it with phones? Nobody said it was fun or glorious to have two phones, but sometimes that's just what life requires of us. I don't need a secondary work phone anymore, but if I did, I would want mine to be an Air 🤷‍♂️ , can't be so bad if there are people that feel this way lol

 

[Ozid]

bought one for my wife, she wanted her 15 pro back. I used it for a few days and also went back to my 15 pro max. It's not nice to hold, it doesn't feel faster or better in any way that what we already had. I ended up returning it and preordering two of the clicks devices that got announced at CES.

I'd buy an appleberry if they offered it. I've been anti thin phones for a while now. I'd rather have a thicker totally flat device than a mostly thin device with a bump