It’s been a year since Apple revealed the iPhone Air to the world – the iPhone that wooed almost everyone with its slimness but struggled to find takers. I still remember how my colleagues were mesmerised by its 5.6 mm thin chassis, and even as of today, i.e., late 2026, the iPhone Air raises eyebrows and drives most of them to Apple’s website. My social circle still begs to hold the phone and take a photo for them to flaunt.
My boss exclaims that the iPhone Air is a piece of jewellery rather than a slim phone! It, indeed, looks beautiful.
And, I find this notion incredible, since I didn’t put a case on the iPhone Air for the whole year. Cold weather, torrential downpours, dust and oil – my iPhone Air has seen everything, and somehow, it manages to look not much different from when I took it out of the box for the first time. This is possibly a testament to the strength of the titanium chassis and Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2 glass to keep scratches at bay. No other Android phone in my collection can pull this off!
Beyond its role as a conversation starter, the iPhone Air is a complex proposition. It’s as nice as a modern iPhone can be, and yet there were moments throughout the year when I desperately wanted to switch to a new phone. In fact, the busy summer forced me to move back to my older iPhone 15 Plus to survive the increased workloads.
Despite all that, the iPhone Air is still here, and if rumours are to be believed, it will remain on sale for at least another six months. Apple has bumped up its price following the iPhone 18 Pro’s release, and it now starts at Rs 1.5 lakh for the base 256GB variant. That is a massive jump for a phone I had earlier seen on shelves for Rs 92,900.
It is rare to see a year-old phone see a price hike as massive as this, and so, the question remains – is the iPhone Air worth buying in 2026?
Design and Build: It is indeed a piece of jewellery
The defining feature of the iPhone Air remains its physical presence. Even a year after its release, there’s nothing like the iPhone Air on the market. It’s sleek, and the well-chiselled lines and surfaces make it look exquisite. Built with a mirror-polished Grade 5 titanium frame and protected on both sides by Ceramic Shield 2 glass, the phone feels like a piece of finely crafted jewellery in the hand – one that can take on any abuse.
Early fears about bending or snapping under pressure have been completely dispelled, as no iPhone Air user has complained about structural deformity. While the polished titanium frame can attract fingerprints and minor micro-scratches over a year of caseless use, the screen and back plateau glass remain virtually scratch-free.
Then there’s the weight – or the lack of it. At 165 grams with a 6.5-inch display, holding the Air makes standard Pro Max phones feel like brick weights. Once you use the iPhone Air, you can never go back to a phone that’s heavier than this. This is incredible.
The best single camera point-and-shoot
The decision to equip a flagship device with a single rear camera lens was easily the most controversial aspect at launch. The single 48MP Fusion camera is all you get here – no ultrawide, no optical zoom.
I am not going to say that you don’t have multiple focal lengths, because the Air’s camera system is restrictive with its single lens. The lack of an ultra-wide camera means you miss out on interesting POVs. Similarly, the zoom photos are usable as long as you don’t magnify beyond 4x – there’s only so much that AI upscaling can do.
For everyday moments, however, the main camera sensor delivers stunning photos with high dynamic range, sharp details, and crisp natural tones. Be it low-light portraits or brightly lit scenery, the iPhone Air’s camera always leaves me amazed by how it renders photos – it feels life-like. Utilising a 2x sensor crop, it effectively acts as an optical-quality portrait lens for close-ups.
While I am not a selfie person, the 18MP front camera with Centre Stage is also best-in-class for selfies and video calls. The orientation lock has been a lifesaver when taking family selfies on vacations – I forgot what hand gymnastics are!
Brilliant display but so-so audio
The iPhone Air offers one of the nicest viewing experiences you can get on an iPhone today. It’s a 6.5-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR screen with 120Hz ProMotion, and its high peak brightness is stunning to look at. Apple’s anti-reflective coating vastly reduces glare under direct sunlight – this made a major impact on how easy it is to use the phone under harsh summer conditions.
Sadly, the loudspeaker performance isn’t as impressive as the iPhone 17. To keep the chassis at 5.6 mm, Apple omitted a traditional speaker grille at the bottom, thus using only a top front-facing earpiece as the sole loudspeaker. While fine for phone calls and podcasts, media lovers and gamers will find the single speaker lacks depth and stereo bass, making wireless earbuds like AirPods Pro almost essential. Browsing Instagram or streaming YouTube videos isn’t as enjoyable on the iPhone Air as other premium phones.
iPhone Air is still blistering fast
Powered by Apple’s A19 Pro chip from last year, the iPhone Air can still deliver performance without disappointing gamers and enthusiasts. I have been using the beta version of iOS 27 for a whole month, and the user experience has been sublime, despite the occasional OS bugs.
Prior to that, iOS 26 delivered a smooth experience too, running social media apps, some console-grade video games (like Wreckfest and GTA: San Andreas), and mobile video editing apps without shedding sweat. I never found Apple Intelligence features to be of any use, as Gemini remains my preferred choice for quick assistance. At the risk of repeating myself, the ecosystem compatibility with MacBooks and iPads makes life a lot easier on the move.
The battery stamina, though, is worrisome
The one area where the iPhone Air struggles the most is its battery stamina. For the entire year, I have dreaded the days without a power bank on me.
On my regular office days, the iPhone Air – with regular calls, quick social media doomscrolling sessions, some camera work, 3-4 hours of music streaming, and texting (obviously) – needs a recharge by evening.
It is only on the lighter days that the iPhone Air can make it through a whole day. Remember that you need to carry a charger, or have a backup power source on you to make the iPhone Air usable.
After almost a full year of daily charging (~300 cycles), battery health retention averages a healthy 95%.
As far as charging is concerned, it is better to have a 20W Apple adapter for charging at full speed. Since the battery capacity is small, a full charge takes just under an hour. 20-80% charges happen within 30-35 minutes.
Verdict: Is the iPhone Air worth buying at Rs 1.5 lakh in 2026?
A whole year after Tim Cook showcased it on stage, the iPhone Air remains a gadget you don’t buy for practicality – it is something you buy as a luxury statement piece. It is built for users who prioritise sleek aesthetics, extreme lightness, and a beautiful build above all else. Sadly, you need to pay more for the aesthetic appeal this year, and unlike the original review, I can no longer state that the iPhone Air is of great value. It is an expensive phone that looks and feels great to use, but lacks the practicality you’d expect from a phone of its class.
The battery life is a major concern, and so is the lack of a stereo loudspeaker setup – essentials that are non-negotiable on a premium phone. I admire what the single camera can do, but the lack of other focal lengths is concerning. The more affordable iPhone 17 lets you play better with the camera, and the slightly more expensive iPhone 18 Pro let’s do more without asking substantially extra.
That is why I would only recommend the iPhone Air if you want your phone to be a style statement above everything else. The Air is excellent at being exactly that.