iPhone Air People Just Don’t Get the Point of the iPhone Air

[Tevosn]

It’s the nicest looking phone for sure, but price is too close to the pro model. If it had the same cameras I would consider it though, but I get why it doesn’t have.
I’m holding on to my iPhone 13 professional a while longer.

 

[ikir]

I agree and I think it is an amazing device, technically unbelievable. I still need for my use macro (not for photography) and I would like to keep 0,5 ultrawide photos capability. Battery thanks to optimization is impressive

 

[zakarhino]

It’s the nicest looking phone for sure, but price is too close to the pro model. If it had the same cameras I would consider it though, but I get why it doesn’t have.
I’m holding on to my iPhone 13 professional a while longer.

I wish the Air used the same camera sensor as the Pro. They're both "48mp Fusion cameras" but actually the Pro's sensor is a lot bigger. :/

 

[MayaUser]

Probably the air will outsell the 17 pro

 

[jmpage2]

Number one thing I don’t like about my 14 Pro is the size and weight of carrying it in my front pocket. My eyes are getting older and I am covetous of the larger screen on my wife’s 15 Pro Max but no way in hell I could carry that brick in a front pocket.

Air ticks nearly all the boxes, giving me the larger screen size I have been coveting but in a super thin and light phone that will melt away in the pocket.

I don’t even care about most of the missing features. 90% of my photos are with the main camera. I almost always listen with earbuds so stereo is not that big of a deal.

I DO take some macro photos so losing that would suck. Shorter battery life is also not unexpected but would be disappointing.

Was honestly going to just hold out with my current phone which has a broken screen but AT&T is offering an $830 trade in for it regardless of condition so I have to choose either the Air or Pro.

 

[roland.g]

My iPhone 14 Pro Max weighs 240 grams. More I suppose if you count my MagSafe wallet and the tempered glass screen protector, though I can't imagine the latter adds much.

Most people who ever hold my phone remark on the weight. I actually like it. I don't want something lighter that feels like it would slip out of my hands. I want something of substance and enjoy how solid it feels.

I'm curious what the Fold will weigh. A Z Fold 7 only weighs 215 grams. And the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold weighs 258 grams. That is not two iPhone Airs combined at 330 grams. So what will the Apple Fold weigh. Carry a 240 gram 14 Pro Max, that potential 220-250 gram range doesn't bother me at all.

 

[phoneorpda]

The speaker part is the only thing I don’t like either. I don’t use the speaker other than speaker phone and the occasional reel or other social media short videos. I’m hoping it’s not too bad for my limited use. I don’t watch long movies or videos without headphones and mostly on my iPad Pro.

The stereo speakers are a cop out on the pros regardless: they have yet to make the camera side speaker to sound exactly like the bottom one, so it always sound lopsided…different volume and tuning.

If I’m watching videos, I always have headphones so I’m not put off by mono sound.

 

[Knowimagination]

I wish the Air used the same camera sensor as the Pro. They're both "48mp Fusion cameras" but actually the Pro's sensor is a lot bigger. :/

I keep seeing this mentioned, where are we finding sensor sizes for the different camera modules?

 

[JPack]

I keep seeing this mentioned, where are we finding sensor sizes for the different camera modules?

Sensor size can be calculated based on the info provided by Apple along with the known 48MP resolution.

Find a camera enthusiast website and learn the basics. Or just ask AI if you don't have time.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Sensor size can be calculated based on the info provided by Apple along with the known 48MP resolution.

Find a camera enthusiast website and learn the basics. Or just ask AI if you don't have time.

View attachment 2547011

Do we know if the Air and standard iPhone 17 for that matter use the same main camera sensor as the Pro?

The other questions surrounding the Air for me are how well it handles the A19 Pro chip and how natural the mono speaker sounds. I know from using an iPhone SE and a mini back at that time that the battery life should be manageable.

 

[JPack]

Do we know if the Air and standard iPhone 17 for that matter use the same main camera sensor as the Pro?

It's does not. The 17/Air sensor size is smaller at 1/1.56". The 17 Pro/Max is 1/1.28".

 

[drugdoubles]

Do we know if the Air and standard iPhone 17 for that matter use the same main camera sensor as the Pro?

The other questions surrounding the Air for me are how well it handles the A19 Pro chip and how natural the mono speaker sounds. I know from using an iPhone SE and a mini back at that time that the battery life should be manageable.

17 Pro sensor is bigger than air or 17 base

 

[noiceT]

It's a sad realization that I have more screenshots than actual photos in my camera roll lol 😭 Air should be fine for me unfortunately.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I must admit I don't get the sudden hype over thickness and weight and the price point is a bit absurd when you compare the specs to the standard 17 and 17 Pro IMO. Apple are very good at marketing though and for the first time in a long time I've seen a shift in people who are Pro users, suddenly not care so much about camera specs, battery life and speaker capabilities. It will be interesting to see the reception to this device once people get it and whether or not there will be an element of buyers remorse. Watch this space.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I must admit I don't get the sudden hype over thickness and weight and the price point is a bit absurd when you compare the specs to the standard 17 and 17 Pro IMO. Apple are very good at marketing though and for the first time in a long time I've seen a shift in people who are Pro users, suddenly not care so much about camera specs, battery life and speaker capabilities. It will be interesting to see the reception to this device once people get it and whether or not there will be an element of buyers remorse. Watch this space.

Pro users were either buying for the more premium finish and design, which the Air fulfills, or for the more advanced features.

 

[one more]

A typical comment on social media and in many YouTube reviews goes: “Why would anyone pay $999 for an iPhone Air when it has worse specs than even the regular iPhone?”

Could you please finally understand that not every user cares about processor power or professional-grade cameras? Some people specifically want a light, thin, and elegant iPhone. Many iPhone users don’t play demanding games on their phone and only take simple point-and-shoot photos.

Everybody’s wants are different, true.

However, let’s not forget that Apple keeps on emphasising better battery life and better cameras as major upgrade reasons, so people have learnt it and now might be genuinely confused.

For me, personally, iPhone 17 makes a better value offering (smaller screen size, so more compact, better battery and macro photography). I agree with you that Air looks fresher and more elegant, though, so people who primarily value the looks should indeed be happy with it.

 

[one more]

People should get what they want. There is a 14 day return policy, if you don’t like it, or if it got issues, just return it. Plain and simple!

Or, better still, don’t order on an impulse and go check it out in Store first.

 

[tolili alert]

It is not light at all, it is just 5% lighter than the 17 Base but lack so many things of 17 Base.

To be more precise… 6,8% lighter with a screen 0,28” bigger (6,27” vs 6,55”). Not bad at all I think.

 

[uacd]

-

 

[one more]

One reason I recommend trying before buying is that we do not know how good/bad the single speaker will be. Obviously no stereo, but logically anyone who needs stereo will use headphones/pods. So will the Air's single speaker be loud enough and clear enough for non-stereo usages? Probably, but it requires real-world testing.

Another thing to test would be that C1X modem and the N1 chip - both are crucial elements in a phone.

 

[uacd]

Elegant is the last thing that comes to my mind about iPhone Air. I'd be happy with an iPhone with a single camera but a body that's thick enough so that there is no camera tumor.

In my tier list it still looks better than “highly praised” 16e🤣

It looks at least somewhat different. And 16e is more like a bloated version of iPhone 4

 

[uacd]

I just love this phone!
The only drawback for me is that the camera does not create .DNG files, otherwise I would order one today.

It does, just 12MP (stacked probably) in apps like Halide, ProCamera, Camac and so on. You would have to edit it in smth like RAW Power though.

Quality degradation would be unnoticeable, I’ve seen better bayer DNGs from 48MP regular iPhones than actual ProRAWs that Pro models shoot, so it is more of a “skill issue”

 

[LevorgPenmancho]

My last upgrade was from iPhone SE 2 to iPhone 15.
I don’t see the point in any phone released since (for me).

 

[Cunir]

this seems more like a fashion thing than the hardware actually being better. It's the latest model so people will want it just for that

 

[Joseph C]

Team iPhone Air!

Great video - Joz throwing the phone across the room to the interviewer and them trying their best (and failing) to bend it!

The only thing I'll be weighing up over the next few hours is colour.