It’s finally here!!! Apple has joined the ultra-thin phone ranks with the new iPhone Air, a phone that is a deliberate compromise between features and form factor.
I’ve been excited about the iPhone Air since the first rumors suggested that Apple was going extremely thin. Having reviewed the Galaxy S25 Edge and used the Tecno Spark Slim, I had an understanding of what to expect with the iPhone Air, but after just unboxing it, I can’t get enough.
Yet, in the first few hours, I’ve already found things that the iPhone Air has in common with other ultra-thin phones, including the best folding phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This is more apparent in the initial performance, although this is likely due to the phone processing and restoring data in the background.
Here’s a first look at the new iPhone Air, what makes it special, and why I can’t put it down.
The iPhone Air is thin… extremely thin
There’s no mistaking it; just like Samsung’s two ultra-thin phones this year, you need to hold the iPhone Air to appreciate it truly. Simply put, photos don’t do the iPhone Air justice, nor do they do the same for any ultra-thin product.
The design of the iPhone Air is interesting thanks to the uniqueness of Apple’s approach. Instead of following Samsung and adopting a boxier, more symmetrical design, Apple did the opposite, and went as thin as it could everywhere but the camera.
This means a wider camera bar — now called the camera plateau — with an ultra-thin body. It measures 5.64mm thick, which is 1.36mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s also two grams heavier overall, but the thin body means it feels lighter than the Galaxy S25 Edge in the hand. This is a wonderful design that stands out from its rivals among the best phones.
A truly innovative design
Achieving a unique, ultra-thin design meant that Apple had to rethink its approach to phone design to accomplish the form factor it wanted. The biggest innovation is its approach to the battery and the overall design of the iPhone Air.
Many of the sensors and components — including the new Apple C1X second-generation modem, and the Apple N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread connectivity — are housed in the camera plateau alongside the 48MP camera.
I haven’t tested the camera yet — that’s a big part of my plans this weekend — but I suspect it’ll be similar to the iPhone 16e. In short, that’s a good main camera, above-average 2x crop performance, and poor performance at other focal lengths. Stay tuned for much more on this after the weekend!
A unique and fabulous iPhone experience
One particular point of note is the 6.5-inch screen; the iPhone Air might have my favorite smartphone screen.
I find 6.8-inch screens and above to be too large for comfortable daily usage, so my daily phone is usually the smaller Pro model, such as the iPhone 17 Pro or the Pixel 10 Pro. The exception is the Galaxy S25 Ultra, as Samsung doesn’t offer this in a smaller size.
Most Pro phones feature a 6.3-inch screen, but the 6.5-inch display on the iPhone Air is much more functional for daily usage. It’s the ideal screen size, and similar to the 6.5-inch cover display found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Apple has traditionally stuck to 6.3-inch and 6.8-6.9-inch displays for its regular or Plus/Max variants, but never offered anything for someone who wants a larger display than the Pro offers, but finds the bigger phones too large. The iPhone Air finally fills this need, although it’s an exercise in compromise.
A lesson in compromise
There’s no way around it; all thin phones require making a compromise. On the iPhone Air, these come in the form of performance, battery, and camera. I haven’t run any tests on the iPhone Air yet, but based on my brief experience so far, it follows the same model as other ultra-thin phones.
The battery is 3,149 mAh, which is considerably smaller than rival phones. Although the iPhone Air uses the same A19 Pro processor as the iPhone 17 Pro range, the performance is throttled compared to its bigger sibling. As we’ve already seen, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor inside the Galaxy S25 Edge is the same as the flagship Galaxy S25 series, but performance is similarly throttled.
Ultimately, the trade-offs for the iPhone Air are considerable, but the iPhone Air will definitely have a fan club. It’s one of the most unique products that Apple has ever made — and among the most unique phones ever — and the result is a phone that I can’t put down. Let’s see if the full experience can keep this feeling alive.
