At its September’s keynote event in Cupertino the company unveiled the iPhone Air, its thinnest smartphone yet, measuring just 5.6 millimeters thick, with a 6.5-inch display, and weighing 165 grams. The name is a clear nod to the MacBook Air, signaling Apple’s intention to make the phone the sleekest option in its lineup yet.
Despite its lean frame, the iPhone Air is still robust on the material front. It features a polished Grade 5 titanium chassis with Apple’s upgraded Ceramic Shield 2 glass on both sides for added durability. At the front is a Super Retina XDR display with “ProMotion” technology, capable of adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz and peak brightness of 3,000 nits.
The iPhone Air has up to 27 hours of battery life, while the iPhone 17 has up to 30 hours. It also lacks the iPhone 17’s ultra-wide-angle camera and doesn’t support macro photography.
As Apple explains, the iPhone Air has the most Apple-designed chips in an iPhone, including the A19 Pro (CPU with a 5-core GPU), N1 (wireless networking chip), and new C1X (cellular modem). The latter is faster than the modem in the 16 Pro but uses 30% less energy, Apple points out.
The phone will be available in four finishes – “space black”, “cloud white”, “light gold”, and “sky blue” -giving it the same premium palette as the company’s higher-end models.
Over time, the iPhone Air could even become Apple’s base model, with the Pro remaining an upgraded version aimed at power users and professionals, freeing up space for new devices like foldables and more.
In terms of photography
The iPhone Air offers a single 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera that combines multiple lens functions and supports 1x and 2x zoom. On the front, there’s an 18-megapixel central camera that uses artificial intelligence to automatically frame subjects and supports dual-camera mode. Although compared to the Pro series, this system is simplified to balance quality and a slim body.
The iPhone Air, which starts at $999, replaces last year’s Plus model in Apple’s lineup, slotting in between the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro tier. Pre-orders begin on September 12, with shipping starting on September 19.
Images: Apple
