It’s because the iPhone Air is so razor🪒 thin that its hard to put in a higher capacity battery unless Apple were to use silicon carbon technology batteries.
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iPhone 17 Weaker demand for Air and fold
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The 16e can last you up to 2 days without a charge vs the iPhone Air could not even last a full day without needing that $99 Apple
battery Pack 🔋
The Air brigade will NOT appreciate that post.
Many people have noticed the compromises the Air makes in order to achieve its slimmer design. For most users, smartphones are essential everyday tools, and features like battery life and camera performance tend to be top priorities when choosing a device.
Given that, it’s understandable to question why someone would pay more for a phone that offers shorter battery life, and a less capable camera system,— especially when the standard iPhone 17 delivers better performance in all these areas at a lower price.
Given that, it’s understandable to question why someone would pay more for a phone that offers shorter battery life, and a less capable camera system,— especially when the standard iPhone 17 delivers better performance in all these areas at a lower price.
You'll see that it's very contradicting to say... colors are expensive on a new product line.
Yet that's what Apple seems to be doing to every new iPhone now.
And yet the Airpods don't seem to come in anything but white, as you mentioned.
And yet... the Magic Keyboard, which is cheaper, comes with multiple colors matching iMac.
Hell, ignoring that, Magic Trackpad at least still comes in white and black. It used to also match iMac.
So no, I don't think it's solely a Tim Cook problem. It is very clear that Apple's various divisions are disjointed and are basically just doing their own things. Airpods may be used with iPhone but it's clear the division that designs Airpods do not think they need more than boring white.
Isn't this the crux of what Tim is supposed to do? Why have a CEO if every division will have their own agenda? Good luck doing this under Jobs.
Air can last 2 days without a charge as well.
16e needs a higher capacity battery in order to offset the less efficient chip.
If you can't last a full day with Air, you won't last a full day with 16e either.
Not really. CEO answers to shareholders. So as long as the overall operation is thriving and making money for shareholders, they don't demand more. Welcome to corporates.
Jobs did a bit more than being a CEO, of course. He was deeply involved in multiple products across all categories. He actively made some decisions that shaped Apple devices back then. And he was also very much into thinner and lighter devices (well, along with partner-in-crime Jony Ive), so the iPhone Air today would have been considered the "Pro" to him.
Anyway, it's all history now. Apple to me seems to be increasingly more of a "me too" company now, always chasing after Android. Maybe that's really what their customers want. Who knows...
bbates123
macrumors 6502a
This has been covered ad nauseam. How often do people actually use anything other than the standard lens? My wife has a 16 base and NEVER uses the ultra wide angle. How many people really need "stereo" speakers? I think you're talking about a really niche subset of users. The average Joe doesn't care. And the battery is decent, it's as good as my 16 Pro and nobody complained about that last year.
These clickbait “air is doomed cuz specs bro” articles are hilarious. Apple HQ must be having a laugh knowing that it’s doing just fine. No one expected it to outpace the 17 and the 17 Pros. I’m surprised they might potentially hit 20m units in the first year with all the negative techbro garbage and fear mongering online. I’m excited for the air 2
You're thinking of Jobs-era structure for Apple. The structure under Tim Cook gives more autonomy to VPs, who then give more autonomy to the teams under them. So yes, effectively, the bits are disjointed.
This may be an illuminating read for you then:
P.S.: TL;DR in case you can't find the right passage. It's on page 5:
So people who aren't CEO make decisions now.
The Air battery can last can last 2 days if you forget to bring it with you while on Vacation.
Eh, nice try but it does last 2 days.
Basically, however long iPhone 16 Pro could last, Air can last that long.
And actually, if we're talking about purely cellular usage, no WIFI whatsoever, then Air actually can beat 17 Pro Max even.
surferfb
macrumors 68030
And I think a lot of people play up the lack of stereo speakers to crap on the Air and justify their purchases of other phones.
I hardly ever use phone speakers. They’re terrible on every phone. I also highly suspect an extra speaker wouldn’t actually do much of anything, given the (physical) volume at the bottom of the phone doesn’t really provide a whole lot of space for a speaker, and speakers need space to make good sound.
All that said, if you do use phone speakers regularly I’m sure there’s a difference in quality, and that it would bother many people. I personally think it’s mind boggling people listen to stuff on phone speakers when things like AirPods exist, but it’s clear a lot of people do.
surferfb
macrumors 68030
I mean, that’s blatantly not true, but whatever makes you feel better about your purchase, I guess.
bbates123
macrumors 6502a
16e: Up to 26 hours video playback
Air: Up to 27 hours video playback
JPack
macrumors P6
Your argument is like people who claim sedans are good enough for most drivers. Except the reality is most people buy SUVs.
They want that ability to take the ultrawide shot. They want macro. They want stereo. They want to have that buffer with battery life.
The irony is so many Air owners like fail to understand such fundamentals. We get it. There are weird outliers who don’t care about camera or stereo or battery life. The majority of users do.
transpo1
macrumors 68000
Lack of marketing? I’ve seen a lot of iPhone Air ads! Granted, I’ve seen more about the Pro, but the very fact the iPhone Air is new means it gets more impressions without trying. But still— they have been marketing it.
transpo1
macrumors 68000
It’s pretty simple— many users want to feel like they’re a Pro and have the Pro filmmaking and photo tools— even if (unlike me) they’re not.
I use the Air and have every day since launch. I find both the battery and camera to be definite compromises. (I personally don’t care about the single speaker).
I find myself charging my air much more frequently than on my 16PM (even a year after the launch of that phone), and my relative cycle count is evidence. No I don’t use my phone more than I did before.
I enjoy the feel, weight, and therefore will likely continue to use this air til next year when we see what Apple does next. But I’m a user and the compromises are real to me- there’s not a world in which the battery or camera is even close to my 16PM FOR ME - that is obviously a subjective experience.
If you ended the day on a 16PM with 40% and now end with an air at 15%, who really cares right? But for me, I ended my 16PM days without charging (except overnight, and even if I didn’t get to that then I was usually fine til the FOLLOWING AFTERNOON!) and now I have to charge during a day.
I love the phone in general but every device has a compromise. The folks who are getting more cameras and battery life also (maybe, subjectively), get a brick- something that, at least for now, I was ready to step away from.
JPack
macrumors P6
Everything about iPhone is want. Who here needs an iPhone 17 Pro Max because their 13 Pro Max doesn't cut it?
That's what some Air owners completely fail to get. They're mired in myopic thinking. If battery life is good enough and the camera is passable, most people will love this thing, right? Wrong.
Apple sells an aspirational identity and empowerment.
I see the appeal of foldables. I can't help but wish for Apple to support foldable software features now. Using two apps at the same time, for instance, isn't hard.
Neil J. Squillante
macrumors 6502
The value of ads is reminding people that a product exists, not necessarily persuading them. It sounds silly but people literally forget if they don't have an urgent need. I remember an Apple ad on Twitter that reminded me about the AirPods 3, which I then ordered from B&H. I never clicked on the ad.
The real marketing of iPhones occurs at carriers, which are heavily promoting the 17 Pro and 17 with the Air so invisible that many shoppers may not realize it exists. Take a look at their home pages. There's no mention of the Air at all on AT&T and Verizon.