iPhone Air Why Do People Dislike the iPhone Air?

[Macdctr]

Had a 16 pro max. Had the 17 pro max, it’s just too much of a brick.

The Air impressed me by being so light, easy to hold, no pocket weight, it just disappears.

I got a 17 Pro and have been using it side by side with the Air day to day, half days. I was pretty sure I was going to keep the 17 pro, as I like the battery life and cameras.

The problem is every time I pick up the Air, it’s a breath of fresh ….Air. It’s a better looking phone. It’s a better overall design. I appreciate the minimalistic look and I prefer the materials that the case is made out of over the pros. Holding it to text, scroll, type is just so much more comfortable. As someone who
Lived with a mini 12 for 3 years, I had no problem with giving up some things for form factor.

The Air gives up much less than the Mini. While not as compact, its lightness, with the thinness is more than gimmick. It’s just feels better to use.

I could afford to have both a pro and an Air but there really isn’t any reason to.

The Air doesn’t get as hot as the 16 pro max. The 17 pros are cooler. The air is not uncomfortable to hold while it’s charging with a battery pack like my 16 pro max. Sometimes that would almost smell hot if that makes sense.

I’ve had no issues with reception. Battery life with my use is great. It’s not insane like a Pro Max, but I get 15 hours of full use screen time. It tops off 5-10% with short drives. It does drain faster under heavy use with games and streaming at the same time as compared to the 17 pros but it’s better than my past phones and significantly better than the mini.

I think part of it is the Air feels like something new and different, rather than the same old brick. Even with a Dbrand ghost case is still feels like a caseless phone. To be honest I’ve been most impressed with the Fold 7. That is just so well done and so light for what it is. I just like the Apple ecosystem as a whole more. I love the folding phones though…

Are people really hating on the Air that much? There’s complaints that it could’ve been better and sacrifices too much more than it was an almost per a perfect phone. Maybe hey wait for the Air 2? But hate?

There are always a few people overreacting about everything about phone design, justifying their purchase, but I don’t in general your people hating on the Air. I’ll tell you what every person that I’ve showed it to in person thinks it’s awesome. I hope it sells well enough that we get an Air2

Agree on points mentioned here . . . I'm coming from my 15PM and switched to the Air because I was not impressed with the current pro series iPhone. I won't spend the money that the current PRO series iPhone demand (as much as $2k for the Pro Max) only to worry about scratching or getting the phone's body dented by dropping it. I also don't like how the new PRO series iPhone look in comparison to the previous gen pro series iPhone but this is my preference and I am not speaking for others here.

From an aesthetic point, I feel the iPhone Air projects the premium level iPhone by how it is made using the titanium frame and how thin and light this iPhone really is. It looks great, feels awesome to hold and also has the A19 Pro processor, although one less GPU core. I don't game and use my iPhone for web browsing, video streaming, email and phone calls. I use the installed camera for "point and shoot" which is more than good enough for my use. In everything I have been using my new Air side-by-side with my 15PM, it has done a great job. I am now switching full time to my new Air and am perfectly happy with this phone.

As I have observed while using my new iPhone Air since I preordered mine, all the "compromises" that have been pointed out by various content creators on YouTube have not affected how I use my iPhones and I feel the Air is an exceptional iPhone for what it is.

 

[whizkid11]

There literally is if you take 10 seconds and go look. I told you what it was called. 3D Mark Steel Nomad.



No it doesn't.



Attached is someone's 16PM Steel Nomad stress test run, and also attached is the one that just finished on my Air 2 minutes ago.

Hey, looks like I might’ve misread the data . . . turns out the iPhone Air does hold up better in that stress test. My bad, and props for pointing it out!

 

[whizkid11]

The 16 pro max had a vapor chamber? This sounds like an AI hallucination

My bad. The 17 pro/max has it.

 

[Apple_Robert]

We live in an era where a large segment of iPhone users rely solely on the iPhone for most if not all of their computing needs. As such, most people seem to want a large screen phone with all the extras. That means the Air is competing with the Pro and Pro Max. The latter are seen as status symbols for kids today.

Like it or not, the Air is a niche phone. And unless it receives solid support and advertising to include word of mouth from the latest Gen group, it isn't going to have strong sales like the Pro series.

If you like the Air, keep using it and don't worry about what others use on here or the negative reviews and posts.

 

[teh_hunterer]

Hey, looks like I might’ve misread the data . . . turns out the iPhone Air does hold up better in that stress test. My bad, and props for pointing it out!

Cheers. I can appreciate that it's pretty non-intuitive. It's actually quite extraordinary how well the A19 Pro is able to do in the Air in sustained performance.

I really assumed this phone running hot would be a necessary tradeoff, especially given how hot my 14PM and 15PM would get, but I'm constantly surprised how this phone remains cool to the touch in scenarios where my last couple Pro Max phones would have been getting hot.

 

[gadget123]

Seen lots of hate for the phone on social media and comparing it to 16e really when it has Pro chip and new camera features? Nobody cared years ago when phones had one camera. Maybe it’s expensive but the 16e is also expensive.

Funny thing is all the hate the 20th anniversary phone the Iphone X, Pro 2027 model with all screen phone will be thinner. Yes thinner. The pro has a new camera design but the fold will have the Air design and the Pro will get one more cycle next year.

So why all that’s hate? All iPhones will go esim, all iPhones will be slim in 2027?

 

[loyalraccoon]

Everyone trying to justify their purchases, past and present. Can’t accept that your phone really doesn’t need to have more than one camera.

 

[Plutonius]

Why care if others like or dislike the Air ?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Why care if others like or dislike the Air ?

The unhealthy reason so many care is because they have come to equate Apple products to self-worth and interpersonal relationship standing. It is also why you see so many threads asking the questions like 'am I the only one who likes x' etc. or threads alerting complete strangers that the OP returned or bought a product. These people are looking for validation. It is also the same reason why so many have developed decision paralysis.

What we see so often on this forum is really not mentally healthy at all.

 

[killhippie]

Cost and feature set, its not an all day phone they gimped the speakers, unlike Samsung, they gimped the camera (also unlike Samsung)and want the price of a pro almost. I don’t care if my phone looks different just not ugly and the pros this year are ugly in my view I get others may like Cosmic Orange etc but I'm a black phone guy. I could get a normal 17 get good battery life and better features and the prices is just right. (I have a 16 pro I'm very happy with so staying with that this year) I think the Air if it had been priced at about £750 would have sold better but there are better specced phones and most people want a decent battery over a a futuristic cheese slicer vibe these days, well from what friends have said. To little for to much for many people as is always the case with Apple.

 

[super chimp]

How comes Motorola can fit two cameras, a bigger battery and stereo speakers into their ultra thin phone. But seemingly Apple cannot. Even the Samsung Edge managed two cameras and stereo speakers? Also the Edge can now be found cheaper than the Air, and I’d bet this phone will be cheaper on launch as well.

Motorola officially reveals when the ultra-thin Edge 70 is getting unveiled just as its price leaks

The phone will be the brand's entrant into the rapidly crowding ultra-thin smartphone category. Motorola is ready to get into the ultra-thin smartphone...

m.gsmarena.com

 

[Kjabean]

omg the speaker isn't that bad sure its not like the stereo speakers like on the pros but its not bad, and not many use there phone for music without airpods anyways at least i don't

Same people that say the edge is impressive because it has stereo… but speakers a couple inches from each other is not really stereo.. lol
I use stereo studio monitors by Adam’s and an Adam’s subwoofer and they are stereo. These dinky phone speakers are not stereo.. and the 25edge speakers sound horrible compared to the air give me a break. You are chasing specs instead of the real world.

 

[danpass]

Tried the Air as a purchase, returned it. Lack of ultra wide angle.

Tried the 17 Pro as a purchase, returned it. Not enough improvement over my 16 Pro … and missed the Air.

Bought the Air again 😁 as finance and this time ported my number to it. Kept my 16 Pro for when I knew I would use ultra wide.

.

 

[gadget123]

Tried the Air as a purchase, returned it. Lack of ultra wide angle.

Tried the 17 Pro as a purchase, returned it. Not enough improvement over my 16 Pro … and missed the Air.

Bought the Air again 😁 as finance and this time ported my number to it. Kept my 16 Pro for when I knew I would use ultra wide.

.

Glad it’s not just me I’ve sadly lost a fortune selling and reselling as I bought from John Lewis Argos and Currys. Unless you preorder from Apple it takes ages to deliver. I’m on my second iPhone 17 and have the Air too

 

[ValerieDurden]

Few reasons, too thin yes too thin I like a thicker phone, one speaker and a not so big battery. Otherwise it’s a fine phone.

 

[slippery-pete]

I think some people just get upset when they see the Air for the 1st time. It is almost like they took Apple's design choice as personal.

 

[ab2c4]

Nobody dislikes the Air, the correct word is jealous of it. They want a phone with that design and weight but have FOMO so they won't give up their Pro models for it.

 

[super chimp]

Nobody dislikes the Air, the correct word is jealous of it. They want a phone with that design and weight but have FOMO so they won't give up their Pro models for it.

I just want a phone like the Air with two speakers and two cameras.

 

[Barbareren]

If you’re an iPhone Air hater or someone who looks down on iPhone Air users, this thread is for you. Let’s have a constructive discussion about your feelings and thoughts and why you feel this way.

I'm no hater, I just wish they'd released a 17 Plus instead of the Air (bigger screen, stereo speakers and two cameras while still not being too heavy and a bit less expensive than the Air).

Edit: Oh, and I need that physical SIM card slot.
Edit2: Also, a decent battery life has become essential to me.

 

[ArchEtech]

I would pay a lot of money for the Air form factor with pro features. I think I am likely not alone in that.

But the Air is fine for now.

 

[SouthPalito]

We live in an era where a large segment of iPhone users rely solely on the iPhone for most if not all of their computing needs. As such, most people seem to want a large screen phone with all the extras. That means the Air is competing with the Pro and Pro Max. The latter are seen as status symbols for kids today.

Like it or not, the Air is a niche phone. And unless it receives solid support and advertising to include word of mouth from the latest Gen group, it isn't going to have strong sales like the Pro series.

If you like the Air, keep using it and don't worry about what others use on here or the negative reviews and posts.

I was at an Apple Store recently and was surprised by the number of teenage girls coming in the store trying to buy the 17 pro max. Most walked away dissapointed because no units were in stock.

 

[fathergll]

I don't 'hate' the Air, it's just a bit weird being its still pretty big. I wish it was a product where it was actually the clear winner in being the smallest phone in the lineup but a 16e is smaller and that isn't exactly tiny itself. In otherwords it would be like if the Macbook Air smallest size was 15".

 

[Bethanie21]

Everyone trying to justify their purchases, past and present. Can’t accept that your phone really doesn’t need to have more than one camera.

Of course YMMV, but what puts me off the Air is the single speaker. I work from home and play a lot of videos so want decent speakers and the Air just doesn’t cut it for me. Got the Pro and I love it.

 

[metsjetsfan]

How comes Motorola can fit two cameras, a bigger battery and stereo speakers into their ultra thin phone. But seemingly Apple cannot. Even the Samsung Edge managed two cameras and stereo speakers? Also the Edge can now be found cheaper than the Air, and I’d bet this phone will be cheaper on launch as well.

Motorola officially reveals when the ultra-thin Edge 70 is getting unveiled just as its price leaks

The phone will be the brand's entrant into the rapidly crowding ultra-thin smartphone category. Motorola is ready to get into the ultra-thin smartphone...

m.gsmarena.com

Bc this way they could put it in the air 2 next year

 

[Moreplease]

I was at an Apple Store recently and was surprised by the number of teenage girls coming in the store trying to buy the 17 pro max.

Well, they live on their phones, consume a lot of images / videos for which a large display is nice, use the cameras heavily, and care less about pocketability than your average guy who doesn’t carry any kind of bag.

That’s exactly the customer profile that fits the Pro Max.

If the question is how they can afford it, yeah, good question.