Apple unveiled the iPhone Air at its ‘Awe Dropping' showcase in California on Wednesday. It marked the arrival of a fresh entrant in its smartphone portfolio. The new model takes the place of last year's iPhone 16 Plus, but comes in a sleeker, lightweight design. Apple also released its much-awaited iPhone 17 series at the event. The latest lineup included iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple Air, the slimmest phone from Apple so far, shares the core specifications of the iPhone 17 family, including the A19-series processor and compatibility with Apple Intelligence. With its ultra-thin build, the iPhone Air is aimed directly at rivals such as Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge in the premium slim-phone segment.
However, the device is facing widespread criticism for its anticipated poor battery and camera performance. Many are wondering exactly who the device is meant for.
I don't know who an iPhone Air is for. The rich/price indiscriminate people will want the better camera and battery from a Pro/Pro Max. Regular people want a regular phone or Plus. So who is this for? The super rich who need a secondary phone for some reason? Makes no sense.
September 9, 2025Bloomberg's US technology columnist Dave Lee calls it “one of the stranger products Apple has ever released.”
“Nor do I believe many consumers will care about thickness when they learn the iPhone Air means sacrificing things they worry about more than any other factor: battery life and a more capable camera,” Lee wrote.
He criticised the iPhone Air for its battery life.
“The company didn't elaborate on what it meant by “all-day battery life,” but here's a clue: Alongside the launch of the device, Apple showed off an accompanying external battery pack for ‘life's busier days.' (It's $99.),” he added.
Lee compared Apple's strategy with the iPhone Air to its approach with the Vision Pro: “It's perhaps less about this first version of iPhone Air and more about the second one.”
Mashable's Chris Taylor writes, “Neither of the new models I'd consider, the Pro or the Air, is calling to me. In design terms, both seem like a step down, with ugly bumps on the back that Apple is calling a ‘plateau'.”
Taylor also criticised Apple for the gadget's camera specifications.
“You don't have to be a tech guru to equate more lenses with better camera quality. That's why the Pro version has three lenses! Even the basic iPhone 17 has two. The Air has the same number of lenses as an SE, even though Apple suggested the "machine learning" would do a lot of heavy lifting in the Air version (read: your photos will now look like AI slop).”
He ultimately asks, “Who is the Air for, exactly?”
The device has garnered several reactions across social media.
"iPhone Air is unlike anything you've experienced before!" pic.twitter.com/nAyz2dca8q
September 9, 2025iPhone 5s was the best design ergonomically. Perfect size to reach across the screen with one thumb, no camera bulge, fingerprint sensor, nice materials, and 33% lighter than the latest iPhone 17 Air. pic.twitter.com/DAWnhzj20p
September 9, 2025iPhone Air with that camera bulge is just an iPhone Wobble. Considering I only use my camera to scan Aadhaar card, I would have bought it if they simply had a small camera and was uniformly thin. pic.twitter.com/GkdUZTib70
September 10, 2025The iPhone Air comes with a 48 MP Fusion primary with sensor‑shift stabilisation, an f/1.6 aperture and the option of 2x telephoto shots. It has an 18 MP Centre Stage camera for selfies and video calls.
Apple has not disclosed the exact battery size of the iPhone Air. It claims the device can manage up to 27 hours of video playback on a single charge and can reach 50% charge in half an hour.
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