Skip the hype: Why you shouldn’t buy the new iPhone Air
An attendee inspects a new Apple iPhone Air during an Apple special event at Apple headquarters on September 9, 2025 in Cupertino, California. Apple unveiled a new generation of iPhones, updated Apple Watches, and AirPods during a special event at its headquarters. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP
Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP
If you’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for any length of time, you know that they are experts at luring you in to buy an inferior product at a premium, and that’s exactly the case again with their new iPhone Air.
The new, thinner, very slightly lighter phone was launched alongside the iPhone 17 range earlier this week.
It means there are four different ‘new gen’ models to choose from, which are the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max.
Once again, it’s a convoluted lineup, but what stands out for me is the iPhone Air.
Introducing the iPhone Air: A Sleek Design with Notable Hardware Limitations
Like the MacBook Air and iPad Air, Apple has once more introduced a thinner, lighter product in the lineup that looks aesthetically pleasing.
However, unlike the current MacBook Air and iPad Air, there are a number of inexcusable hardware limitations with the first of its kind iPhone Air.
This is best demonstrated by the fact that alongside the new iPhone Air, Apple will now be offering a custom-made MagSafe (magnetic) external battery which clips onto the phone.
You heard that right, to get better battery performance on par with the other current iPhones, a user will have to essentially carry a power bank as well? For me, that’s just counter-intuitive and simply ludicrous.
Air’s Battery Life and Design: A Comparison with iPhone 17
Without the external battery, the Air has the worst battery life among the 17 lineup with up to 30 hours of playback according to the Apple website, but that’s in their own tests and not real-world use. In their presentation of the Air, it also said “all-day battery,” which is really vague and difficult to prove or disprove.
Of course, it is noticeably thinner at 5.64mm thick compared to the base model iPhone 17, which is the next thinnest at 7.95mm thick. The Air also comes in at 165g, while the 17 is 12g heavier at 177, which is an indistinguishable weight difference.
The comparison with the iPhone 17 is the most relevant, since the Air will retail at $999 in the USA. The iPhone 17 will be $200 cheaper, and though the display is slightly smaller at 6.3” compared to the Air’s 6.5”.
In every other aspect, the iPhone 17 bests the Air, with a much better camera system probably the biggest advantage. Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone has just one 48MP main camera on the back, while every other model has multiple lenses, most notably the extremely useful widescreen for any kind of outdoor pictures or videos.
Ironically, the experts say the Air will be the best-selling device in the new iPhone lineup since its impossibly thin design will win over the masses of Apple fans who want the lightest and thinnest offering, which is most likely to turn heads, from the tech giant.
For the rest, they can get the regular and superior in every aspect iPhone 17 for less money.