Every iPhone since the Xʀ has been a full day iPhone on its original iOS version for moderately heavy users, maybe barring both SE and the Minis.
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Two Weeks With the iPhone Air: Is Ultra-Thin Worth the Compromises?
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It’s funny to read people complaining about the lack of ultra-wide lens on Air. Back when iPhone 12 Mini was announced, people complained about wide-lens being useless and that they would rather have a telephoto lens. It never stops!
it’s an exciting product indeed, best since the 4S with high res display.
Try testing them side by side in the store and you realize that the camera isn’t an issue. The battery isn’t an issue either. The speaker maybe but that depends..
I gave a serious look at iPhone Air in the store. For my purposes battery life and a single camera aren't deal breakers. It’s a good phone for those willing to overlook its shortcomings.
In my case I could not overlook comparing it to its competition, the Galaxy S25 Edge. While waiting for the Air to materialize I bought an Edge since I work with both platforms iOS and Android.
If not for the Edges brilliant performance with its substantially larger battery, excellent sound from two speakers and terrific photos from the dual cameras, iPhone Air would not look so stripped down. It’s even a bit lighter and offers a larger display in the same slim form factor.
I'm taking a wait and see approach on iPhone Air, as I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple catch up and make the next gen Air a true competitor to Samsungs Edge.
From this thread it seems that the major issue for most people with the Air is the lack of cameras. This is not surprising and given that Samsung managed to get two cameras, two speakers and a better battery in a phone that is not that much larger than the Air and is a definite knock at Apple and its technical prowess.
In the end we will all make our own decisions based on our own perceived needs and wants and, although we can believe we are making rational decisions, in the end it will be as much an emotional decision as a rational decision.
Much as I appreciate these articles on products I look first to the specifications and issues/benefits identified and always ignore the final decision making process as they are made on feelings/needs/desires that never match my own.
All they can do is show you the pros and cons and leave you to make your decision. But in this case, as with many other reviews, there is a distinct bias in the reviews e.g. they start out by saying one of the following: it is thin so it must be easily breakable, one camera is a distinct disadvantage (forgetting that not that long ago, that is all we got, period), the smaller battery will be a problem (before understanding how Apple had optimized the phone for that smaller capacity battery) etc. And that is where they start thus making the review about defending preconceived notions, rather than say that after using it for a week, say, the lack of a telephoto or macro or whatever was a problem for their use case, or the battery ran out before end of day for me, so it is an issue one should consider, and not start out with them as issues. Anyway, I tried the Air, decided to keep the really rather boring 17 Pro Max and see whether Apple can make an Air without so many issues that have been identified after I used it (the lack of a macro and mild telephoto camera were the issues). But that should not be the reason you make a choice since my reasons are purely personal and nothing else.
In the end we will all make our own decisions based on our own perceived needs and wants and, although we can believe we are making rational decisions, in the end it will be as much an emotional decision as a rational decision.
Much as I appreciate these articles on products I look first to the specifications and issues/benefits identified and always ignore the final decision making process as they are made on feelings/needs/desires that never match my own.
All they can do is show you the pros and cons and leave you to make your decision. But in this case, as with many other reviews, there is a distinct bias in the reviews e.g. they start out by saying one of the following: it is thin so it must be easily breakable, one camera is a distinct disadvantage (forgetting that not that long ago, that is all we got, period), the smaller battery will be a problem (before understanding how Apple had optimized the phone for that smaller capacity battery) etc. And that is where they start thus making the review about defending preconceived notions, rather than say that after using it for a week, say, the lack of a telephoto or macro or whatever was a problem for their use case, or the battery ran out before end of day for me, so it is an issue one should consider, and not start out with them as issues. Anyway, I tried the Air, decided to keep the really rather boring 17 Pro Max and see whether Apple can make an Air without so many issues that have been identified after I used it (the lack of a macro and mild telephoto camera were the issues). But that should not be the reason you make a choice since my reasons are purely personal and nothing else.
I still don't understand what's so special about this device.
Form factor?
The same one. Due to the display.
Camera?
Still a bumper. Even thicker.
Rest?
USB port, kinda flat.
What's new about this thing?!
Form factor?
The same one. Due to the display.
Camera?
Still a bumper. Even thicker.
Rest?
USB port, kinda flat.
What's new about this thing?!
Just fiddled the Air. THATS the type of phone I want. I wouldn’t call anything about it compromises, per se. We’re getting into semantics here, but it’s just less features, not compromises. It’s got 80-90% of what you need from a phone and those functions are 100% of the Pro models. 80-90% of my photos (I have a Pro) are from the main camera. The Air’s battery is better than iPhone Mini 13. It doesn’t bend like the 6, which was the best phone I’ve ever owned.
What’s WRONG with it is the price and its marketing.
It should be priced like the Mini, not a "premium" device. If they wanted the current price, they should have added "premium features". Sure, it is pretty premium. But not premium enough.
And….I’ll wait for the Air 2. Apple has gotten into the (very) bad habit of releasing a "poor" first iteration of stuff…
What’s WRONG with it is the price and its marketing.
It should be priced like the Mini, not a "premium" device. If they wanted the current price, they should have added "premium features". Sure, it is pretty premium. But not premium enough.
And….I’ll wait for the Air 2. Apple has gotten into the (very) bad habit of releasing a "poor" first iteration of stuff…
Initially, the Air was implemented to have a light, thin and compact device.
iPhone Air is heavy and huge.
Completely failed the main purpose.
iPhone Air is heavy and huge.
Completely failed the main purpose.
Ferk! That puts it in perspective!!! A 12 gram saving for 25% more, and for an inferior device??? What a waste of money!
Yep but the screen is bigger and thus the device bigger so its actually fab to have such a sized screen in a thin light device
Xiaomi would do it. Their latest phones also called 17, have equal or better specifications than Apple's latest in almost every respect, but they have that terrible operating system.
Their 'pro max' has a 7500mah battery
It's like they managed to go from 'let's build a car' to getting their first model rolling off the production line in 4 years and Apple abandoned theirs. (Had a ride in a BYD taxi the other day and it was amazing!)
We just have a load of ugly phones and liquid glass.
Apple sadly really seem to have lost their way.
The Air is massively over represented here. Estimates suggest it's about 5% of sales
To be fair iPhone Air is surprisingly durable and there’s little chance you will break it by sitting on it. I think jerryrigeverything used hydraulic to break it as it is virtually impossible to bend with bare hands.
Yet, iPhone air is far from the most popular iPhone. iPhone 17 pro and iPhone 17 pro max still rocks sales numbers by a large margin, at least according to initial estimates. I am curious why majority of users choose a hideous device over a beautiful one.
Want your current phone to do less? Put it on battery save mode. Make the screen monochrome. Have it go to sleep after 30 seconds. Uninstall Facebook. You’ll get your way longer battery life.
Because you went from 128gb to 256gb. It’s not rocket science, Sami, it’s storage physics.
I got this for 10% off with my discount so I found it worth the $899 price tag. After my trade in for my 16PM it rounded out to about $160 to grab one. I grabbed the external battery along with it. It just feels better than any of its cousins on the market. Yeah the camera does kinda suck im not gonna sugar coat that. However, being able to throw that battery on when I need it makes it that about pro max thickness size and weight. But I get the option to have it there.
And this phone is quite the power house and plays destiny rising on ultra 60fps. I haven’t really ran into any throttling yet.
From what I actually understand, the entirety of the 17PM gets hot and you can feel it through the aluminum. While the air is only hot around the camera bar, where it’s supposed to be.
I will admit though, I’m still torn on keeping this or getting 17PM, just became I’m a sucker for that orange.
And this phone is quite the power house and plays destiny rising on ultra 60fps. I haven’t really ran into any throttling yet.
From what I actually understand, the entirety of the 17PM gets hot and you can feel it through the aluminum. While the air is only hot around the camera bar, where it’s supposed to be.
I will admit though, I’m still torn on keeping this or getting 17PM, just became I’m a sucker for that orange.
No, battery technology has advanced in the past 4 years, and anyway there are new technologies which Apple cannot be bothered to pursue because it would hit their 40% margins. An 6mm thick Mini Air (5.4 inch screen, 100grams) could have a battery life of a couple of days (if Apple tried).
Air is USB 2.0. So Thunderbolt won’t help. If it’s all backed up to iCloud, you can restore from iCloud. That’s probably the best way.
Otherwise it depends how much data is on the phone. If it’s a lot, arrive in the morning and don’t have any appointments for that day, just to be sure.
But save it all to iCloud. Then you can get the new iPhone, transfer the details across with the new phone set up, choose restore from iCloud, and then you can wipe the old phone and give it back.