The iPhone Air is scheduled for release this Friday, with early reviewers already testing Apple’s slimmest iPhone to date. This signifies Apple’s most substantial design shift since the iPhone X, which brought forth FaceID and OLED displays. This time, Apple is emphasizing the tactile feel of the iPhone, and initial reactions are favorable.
Nevertheless, the Air comes with some limitations, especially regarding camera performance and battery longevity. Much like the MacBook Air versus MacBook Pro discussion, users ponder whether the performance trade-off is warranted by the sleek design and reduced weight. Many reviewers assert that it is, particularly if style, portability, and originality are top priorities.
Mashable’s full review of the iPhone Air will be available soon. In the meantime, here is a summary of initial reviews.
**Design:**
WIRED’s Julian Chokkata emphasizes the iPhone Air’s slim design at 5.6 millimeters and 165 grams, in contrast to the iPhone 17 Pro’s 206 grams and 8.75 mm thickness. The Air feels lightweight yet robust.
CNET’s Abrar Al-Heeti mentions the absence of a bottom speaker, which impacts audio quality for video streaming, although it isn’t a major drawback.
Engadget’s Sam Rutherford commends the iPhone Air’s design, referring to it as an engineering marvel with its rounded edges and smooth finish.
**Battery Life:**
The Verge’s Allison Johnson characterizes the battery life as sufficient, particularly for casual users on Wi-Fi.
PCMag’s Eric Zeman states that the iPhone Air endures for 19 hours and 15 minutes, which is less than other iPhone 17 variants.
Gizmodo’s Raymond Wong considers the battery life to be acceptable, yet not outstanding compared to the iPhone 16 Pro.
**Camera:**
TechRadar’s Jacob Krol points out the iPhone Air’s single 48-megapixel camera, which has difficulty at higher zoom levels.
The Verge’s Allison Johnson observes the absence of a second rear camera, a feature available in rival models.
Tom’s Guide’s Mark Spoonauer criticizes the lack of ultrawide and telephoto lenses but concedes the quality of the primary camera.