I was a thin phone skeptic, but after holding the iPhone Air…I get it

Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority Apple launched the iPhone 17 series last week. Riding along the new 120Hz display on the iPhone 17 and the new design and upgraded telephoto camera on the iPhone 17 Pro is the all-new iPhone Air. As someone who has been a thin-phone skeptic, I’ve looked at the iPhone Air’s launch with the same disdain I reserved for the Galaxy S25 Edge: Why would anyone trade off crucial features like battery life and camera versatility for a flagship whose primary claim-to-fame is that it’s thin? After using the iPhone Air for about a day, I get it. I see why thin phones are hyped, though there’s still a long way to go before they become the default recommendation. The iPhone Air feels fantastic to hold Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority When I picked up the iPhone Air, all I could say was “wow.” The 5.6mm thinness doesn’t hit home until and unless you hold the phone in your hand; even pictures don’t do it justice. The 165g weight feels as comfortable as a breeze, and the Titanium chassis keeps it feeling solid and not flimsy. It’s the same awe I felt when I held the newer iPad Pro, except that this is a significantly lighter and smaller device that I can grip confidently. Holding the iPhone Air will spoil ordinary phones for you. Following the iPhone Air’s journey through leaks until its launch, I was very concerned that the thin frame would be sharp and narrow enough to dig into my palms. This is a recurring complaint I have had with certain phones and one of the primary reasons I hated my Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Thankfully, the iPhone Air’s corners are softly curved, and even the chamfer on the frame is soft and comfortable — so far, I don’t have the same complaints on this phone. Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority Everyone around me has been excited to see, hold, and experience the iPhone Air, and everyone has had the same reaction. How did Apple manage to make a flagship phone so thin? Fair credit to Samsung and a few others, too, on achieving the feat, but people have genuinely been in awe of the iPhone Air. Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority Maybe the Sky Blue color lends to the softness on this razor-thin phone, or maybe the Apple logo adds an air of perceived premiumness through its brand value. Either way, people have been impressed and swayed by the iPhone Air more than they have been with the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro in my other hand, much to the dismay of the thin phone skeptic in me. Addressing the elephant in the room: the iPhone Air’s camera bump Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority It’s 2025, and we are no longer strangers to huge camera bumps. I’ve owned and used my fair share of Android flagships that proudly strut huge camera islands, and I’ve gotten used to them over time. I get the same feeling with the iPhone Air’s camera bump: it’s a noticeable protrusion when looking at it, but it doesn’t matter when the phone is in your hand, especially since the camera island is hugging the top edge of the back. When placed flat on its back, the iPhone Air does wobble, thanks to the extra layer of protrusion from the singular camera lens. However, much like with Android flagships, I usually hold the phone in my hand rather than using it flat on a desk, so it’s not a big deal. Could Apple have leveled the camera bump to the rest of the phone’s body and filled the space with more battery? Yes, they could, and they already did on phones like the iPhone 17, which have a smaller camera bump and more capacity. The Air targets the audience that wants a uniquely thin experience, and it is rather unapologetic about it. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Find out more here. What I am more bummed about with the camera bump is the singular rear camera, or more precisely, the lack of a telephoto/zoom camera. I am one of those people that doesn’t care about ultrawide cameras (the Galaxy S25 Edge has one, if you do care). However, I get plenty of use out of a good telephoto zoom camera, even more so if it is a periscope shooter that gets me even further range. The iPhone Air can only do 1x zoom, and 2x if you count the in-sensor crop as most companies like to do so these days. That’s not enough for me to shoot concert videos or get that framing versatility when shooting a friend’s portrait, and I predict it will likely be the reason I ultimately switch out of the Air. The absence of a zoom camera pinches me the most. Side note: If you like playing music through your phone’s speakers, the iPhone Air’s single earpiece speaker is fairly loud and sounds good, but it is also easy to muffle. It doesn’t have a speaker at the bottom, so there’s no stereo output. If this matters to you, stay away from the iPhone Air. I’ve not faced any performance or thermal issues so far, but I haven’t particularly pushed the phone hard enough either. Keep your battery life expectations grounded Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority One day with the phone is too short a time to pass any verdicts on battery life, so I won’t, especially since I spent a lot of that time setting up the Air. As the Galaxy S25 Edge has shown us, it’s better to stay grounded with your battery life expectations from thin phones, and I don’t expect multi-day battery from the iPhone Air either. Apple promises up to 27 hours of video playback on the iPhone Air, the same 27 hours of video playback they promise on the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro (the newer iPhone 17 series has better battery life). Marketing claims should always be taken with a generous pinch of salt, but the comparison is where it gets interesting, since I have been very happy with the battery life on my iPhone 16 Pro. If the iPhone Air lasts just as long, it should work out for most people, just as well as the 16 Pro did for me. If it doesn’t, Apple does have a new iPhone Air-specific MagSafe Battery that can be yours for $99. It looks clean, but it’s a wireless battery pack at the end of the day. You can get the same results with any Qi2/MagSafe power bank or even a conventional wired power bank, and you can get one for cheaper and with more features. Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority The MagSafe Battery is nice for keeping battery anxiety at bay and handy when you need a boost before the day ends. However, I don’t think most users will lug it on every second of the day they use the iPhone Air, as doing so would kill the very purpose of getting an iPhone Air. The battery pack adds weight and bulk, and if you are okay with that, you could save some money and get the iPhone 17 instead. The iPhone Air is a step towards the future, but the iPhone 17 is the present Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority The iPhone 17 exists, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why most people should not get the Air. It’s a cheaper and better iPhone that gets all the practical upgrades in one of the most recognizable avatars around. The iPhone Air is not for most people, and even Apple is aware of the fact, which is why they have other options. Until and unless you specifically want the thinnest iPhone available this year, you should get the iPhone 17 or even the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max. Once you go Air, you can't go Pro Max, Ultra, or XL. So far, I’ve enjoyed using the iPhone Air, and I feel really persuaded by its thinness. Picking up the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, or my Pixel 9 Pro XL after it feels like a jolt to my wrist. These aren’t thick or particularly heavy phones by any means, but they feel like a brick after you’ve held and used the Air. I fear the iPhone Air has spoilt me, and I may not be able to look at Pro Max and Ultra phones with the same love anymore. Follow