In an effort to provide us with something fresh to discuss, Apple unveiled the incredibly thin iPhone Air. With a 6.5-inch ProMotion screen, a 48-megapixel dual camera, a Centre Stage-capable selfie camera, and an optional MagSafe battery, it is only 5.6mm thick among other things.
We wanted to know what the Verge staff thought of the iPhone Air right away. Naturally, we’ll do a thorough evaluation of the phone, but these are our staff’s initial thoughts.
The iPhone Air goes on sale on September 19th, with preorders opening on Friday, September 12th.
Would you like an incredibly thin iPhone?
The iPhone 17 Air is svelte and beautiful. Since my iPhone 15 Pro is constantly protected by a thick plastic case, I would never know that it is titanium, even if it isn’t quite as thin. You’re generally better off with an iPhone 17 or 17 Pro unless your Air would survive dangerously without a case. Otherwise, when you end up tripling the thickness of the Air with that $99 MagSafe Air battery that Apple just so happened to unveil today, you’ll find it difficult to remember why you chose the Air’s worse battery. —Deputy Editor Thomas Ricker
Additionally, it just weighs 5.8 ounces
It weighs about 7.3 ounces on its own and nearly 9 ounces with the rather sturdy case I have on it (I’m not just a procrastinator, I’m afraid of breaking it). My personal phone is still a Pixel 6 (yes, I know, I tend to put off these upgrades). This implies that it pushes my pants down a little each time I put it in my pocket. It would be great to have a phone this light, but if you add the additional battery, it won’t be as light (see Thomas’ comment above). Barbara Krasnoff, editor of reviews
Apple, this practice is nothing new to us
I find it incomprehensible that Apple is returning to its obsession of thinness. I dislike this possible phone trend between the iPhone Air and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. Since the majority of users choose phones with long-lasting batteries, that really doesn’t make sense to me. When you take into account that Apple just compromised its MacBooks so drastically in their quest for thinness that the delicate keyboards failed, it becomes even more ridiculous.
I enjoy using my iPhone
The lengthy battery life of the iPhone is one of the reasons I prefer it. That’s the reason I’ve been purchasing the iPhone Pro Max ever since they were released. Although Apple claims that the iPhone Air would have “all-day battery life,” I can no longer go through an entire day with my existing iPhone 16 Pro Max. This just does not work. Most likely, I won’t even make it through brunch. But I am aware of what will occur. I will be seeing one. I will then desire it. After that, I’ll purchase the battery pack. Additionally, battery life won’t matter to me anymore. Most likely. —Deputy editor for reviews and commerce, Todd Haselton
With its battery pack, Apple boasts 40 hours of movie playback
I was going to add that people don’t really use their phones for video playback, and that it’s a ridiculous way to gauge battery life. However, it might be now! “It shouldn’t be,” an elderly man shouts at Cloud. However, it’s hilarious to create a thin phone, a $99 battery pack that works exclusively with that phone, and then base your battery life claim on how long the phone lasts when the battery is plugged in. It would be like to breakfast cereals adding the line “with a cup of 2% milk” to the nutrition label. — Senior Reviews Editor Nathan Edwards
Its screen is 6.5 inches
I was a little disappointed to see that Apple had discontinued the Plus model of the iPhone 17, as I like to use larger phones. If I had to pick, I would be more drawn to the 17 Pro Max’s more functions (and gorgeous orange colour) than the iPhone Air’s larger screen, which I suppose takes up that space spiritually. But I have no doubt that those who are tired of carrying a brick around will be persuaded by the thin, light Air model. —News journalist Jess Weatherbed
A camera bump a la Pixel
I haven’t upgraded to a new phone in a number of years, so I’m not sure whether I could get used to the way a protruding, pill-shaped camera bar on the back of my phone looks or feels. Apple integrates a single “dual fusion” camera into the bar, eliminating the Google Pixel 10’s camera bulge and leaving only a single black lens that contrasts with the rest of the phone. I find it difficult to look at it without seeing Cyclops’ visor. —News journalist Emma Roth
That sky blue hue is beautiful
The sky blue on Apple’s M4 MacBook Airs was my favourite colour, and I think the iPhone Air looks great with it as well. Will the colour be sufficient for me to choose the Air over another model? We’ll see if I’m tempted after I see the sky blue for myself, although the Pros have more of the features I want. The senior reporter Jay Peters
It was dubbed a slice of the future by Apple. Is it?
In my galaxy-brained opinion, the Air genuinely holds many mysteries regarding Apple’s future. Executives talked for a long time about the material design, the hard effort needed to make the phone robust and long-lasting, what “Ceramic Shield 2” is, and a lot more. Here is a brief overview of the iPhone Air. Additionally, it includes everything you need to make phones that fold, flip, or do any other creative thing that other firms are already doing with phones. Its legacy may resemble that of the first MacBook Pro, a device with flaws that included the first-generation versions of many crucial technologies.
The future, in my opinion, is not a “slightly thinner iPhone with a single camera and a big camera bump.” However, some of the airborne materials? Most likely it is. —Editor at Large David Pierce
The plateau may hold the key to Apple’s foldable future
Apple displayed an X-ray of the new “plateau” of the iPhone Air, which appears to be nothing more than a camera bump. With the exception of the battery, Apple managed to fit its camera, speaker, and silicon into the iPhone Air. “Hey, I could see how this innovation would really come in handy with a foldable phone,” is a simple way to blame it, in my opinion.
The ability to compartmentalise the components, highlighting a thin design while leaving as much room as possible for a battery, appears to be crucial to the success of Apple’s foldable iPhone if rumours of it ever materialise. I agree with David; even though we’re meant to be discussing the iPhone Air right now, it’s difficult for me to look at it without thinking about the iPhone’s future. — Editor of commerce Cameron Faulkner
