Will the iPhone Air succeed? In a world that’s obsessed with chunky batteries and a gazillion camera lenses on the back, the iPhone Air seemed like an odd choice. An ultra-slim design proudly flaunting its compromises and asking for an exorbitant price is an unusual sight in a rather value-centric iPhone lineup. However, the Air seems to be doing what Apple probably wanted it to do – get people talking.
It’s been two days since I have had the fortune of daily driving the iPhone Air and, safe to say, I am the center of attention – in the office, within my friends’ circle, in the neighbourhood community, at the car service center, in the market… basically everywhere I go, I get attention. The iPhone Air is probably the best conversation starter I have ever had in my life – a boon for an introvert.
iPhone Air is ‘awe-dropping’
Part of the reason why the iPhone Air is such a conversation starter is its perceived slimness. At 5.6mm at its thinnest section, this is easily one of the slimmest smartphones we have ever seen. Combined with the glossy chrome-plated Titanium side frame, the iPhone Air is dressed up in Apple’s nicest-looking materials. Even the iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn’t look as special as the Air! It seems that Apple had always wanted this to be the pretty face of the iPhone 17 series.
Another point of discussion is the lightweight construction. At 165 grams, it is relatively lighter than the other iPhones that Apple has sold in the recent past. Hence, it feels as light as a feather.
Combined with the confidence-inspiring rigid build quality and class-leading material finish, the iPhone Air feels great to hold. I’d recommend not slapping a bulky protective case, or even Apple’s bumper case, on the iPhone Air – you’d not be doing justice to the design of the phone! Spend some time within the safe confines of your bed and practice gripping it right, but don’t put a case on this. The Air deserves to be carried around without being stuffed inside those abominations.
Enough with the design obsession! Is it a good iPhone worth buying?
Two days aren’t enough to come up with advice, but I can share some early insights going into the review of the iPhone Air.
– The new ProMotion OLED display does wonders to the iOS experience. More specifically, iOS 26 and its Liquid Glass theme make the best use of this vibrant and smooth display panel. The Dynamic Island pill seems to be positioned away from the top edge and could hinder the viewing experience while binge-watching videos.
– The iPhone Air’s performance is top-notch, as it has been for every new iPhone every year. So far, no video game or multitasking has managed to bring the iPhone Air down to its knees.
– The same can be said for the battery life. The iPhone Air’s smaller capacity battery may not be as reassuring as my iPhone 15 Plus’s larger power reserve, but so far, I have been managing an entire day on a single charge easily. Note that this involves long idle times during work hours. On a rater busier day, you might need to fill up the battery by the evening. Hence, have a power bank handy if you are willing to pick up the iPhone Air.
– The single rear camera has been performing adequately so far, nicely performing its role at office get-togethers, random photo snaps of my motorcycle and flowering pots, etc. The absence of an ultrawide sensor is missed, but the digital zoom has adequately impressed us (as long as you are limiting yourself to 4x magnification).
– No stereo speaker setup sticks out like a sore thumb! iPhones have always led the game in terms of loudspeaker audio quality but the iPhone Air isn’t quite on the same level. The earpiece, doubling as a loudspeaker, amplifies the lack of depth and bass. More on this in our full review.
iPhone Air: Prices at a glance
Until we finish our evaluation for a full review, there’s no verdict or conclusion for us to share. However, if you want to go ahead and get the iPhone Air, here’s a quick preview of how it’s going to dent your wallet.
The iPhone Air in its base 256GB trim costs Rs 1,19,900. The 512GB storage variant will set you back by Rs 139,900, and the top-end 1TB storage variant costs a whopping Rs 159,900.
