Maybe I’m just out of touch, but I don’t understand who this is for, and I think it’s going to flop.
First of all…who is asking for thinner phones?
Secondly, the price. This is not an Air SE. This thing is only $100 less than a full-fat iPhone Pro, and $200 more than iPhone base (which is a particularly good value this year).
And what do you get for that price?
- 2 fewer lenses than the pro, and 1 fewer than the base
- Titanium frame, I guess?
- Less powerful processor than the base
- Inherently more fragile frame
- Less battery life than even the base model (this was often cited as the shortcoming of the iphone Mini)
- Slower charging speed than both models
- no cinematic video mode
Are people really clamoring for thinner phones so badly that they’ll spend more money for less features?
https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone-17-pro%2Ciphone-air%2Ciphone-17
It’s a test in production for the folding phone.
Two of those next to each other. The camera can be bigger, the battery is in two parts.
Chinese case makers and screen repair shops are asking for thinner phones.
These companies need to go retro.
It’s for our moms
You know the SIM card slot was removed in favor of more battery? Someone in some YouTube comment section literally said “there’s less air in the Air”.
Jokes aside, the iPhone Air is for people who miss the 2016-2020 MacBooks for some reason. They were so thin that they actually sucked.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but me. I think my current phone still has a gen or two in it, but I’ll probably go this route for my next upgrade. I don’t need all the features even my current phone has, and I’m a sucker for a sleek device.
Battery life is real concern tho. I suggest you wait for reviews
~16 hours is all most people need 99% of the time.
the other 1% of the time you can connect a battery pack. you can’t do the opposite with a thick phone, you’re just carrying a bigger battery all the time for no reason.
Waiting for reviews obviously makes sense for a lot of reasons, but leaked battery specs suggest battery capacity larger than the 13 Pro. Add efficiency improvements to that and it should be more than fine for most people.
I mean, that’s fair. You’re entitled to that preference. I’d just be shocked to learn that it’s shared by a large number of people. But it wouldn’t be the first time people shocked me either. I still can’t believe so many people want to carry around what are essentially tablets that barely fit in their pockets, or will spend $2k+ for fragile-ass folding phones with plastic displays that won’t last more than a couple of years.
what are essentially tablets
once you get a big screen, you don’t go back, bean
Only because that’s all you can buy now.
I felt the same preference for large TVs, for which smaller options are def still available. you first think it’s big and then think it should be bigger. and the normal iphone fits in my pocket with lots room to spare
You don’t hold TVs in your hand though…
point is people who prefer small screens are unfortunately a vocal minority. the iphone minis were discontinued for low sales
See Samsung Flip 7 sales. Apple is inventing this next year.
Only because they don’t sell phones with smaller screens. If there was a good smaller phone available, I’d go for it right away.
I actually did go back to a regular iPhone Pro after using the Pro Max for a while, and feel like I could go even smaller. I have a tablet for when the situation calls for it, and I like my phone to be more compact/easy to hold.
I went from a motorola moto g3 (5” screen, 72.4mm phone width) to a samsung galaxy s9+ (6.2” screen, 73.8mm phone width) to an iphone 13 mini (5.4” screen, 64.2mm phone width).
I once held in my hand an iphone 4s, and I think that is the perfect physical size for my hands (58.6mm phone width).
Yes the (relatively) small screen on the iphone mini can sometimes be a bit of an hindrance, and yet I would buy an iphone 4s-sized phone in a heartbeat.
I got a big screen and I went back. I’d go back further if I could.
As the owner of a 13 mini, I would point out that not all of us want big heavy phones, and I am happy they offer a lighter option. If Apple decides to offer iPhone-sized phones again, I hope they go with a smaller version of the Air.
yeah i’m holding on to my mini until a new small model comes out. i don’t want thinner i want smaller.
long live the mini.
It’s only 2 grams lighter than the 16e. I also would like a new mini model, but mostly to fit in my hand nicer and de-emphasize the screen in my life.
I completely understand the desire for a smaller phone, but this is not really smaller, it’s even bigger than the base, and just ever-so-slightly-thinner. And not even all of it, look at the side profile, the area around the camera is not much thinner than the standard devices.
And in my experience, while I also value lighter phones, most people seem to perceive them as “cheap”.
Yeah, well, I don’t put much stock into people’s perceptions. People are already pre-complaining about the battery life of the iPhone Air, which is hilarious to me as a mini owner who charges primarily before and after bed, not overnight. They’re mocking the crossbody strap as if they’ve never seen anyone carry their phone on a crossbody strap. I mean, it’s not for me (although I do carry my phone in what is technically a crossbody strap), but it looks handy, and it seems like it’d be better with a lighter phone.
Yeah, well, I don’t put much stock into people’s perceptions.
That’s fine but what I’m really trying to say here is that this is a flop. A bad idea. That they won’t sell many because it’s not a compelling product that many people will want to buy.
People are already pre-complaining about the battery life of the iPhone Air, which is hilarious to me as a mini owner
Many people point to battery life as the reason the Mini flopped as well.
They’re mocking the crossbody strap as if they’ve never seen anyone carry their phone on a crossbody strap.
They’re mocking it because it’s a hilarious and ridiculous fashion trend. Most of them are.
They had to take all that stuff out so that they have features to trickle back in over the next few years.
Also no stereo speakers
What? Does it only have one speaker at the top?
Oh yes
As some others have said, the main interest for some people is the lighter weight with a “plus” sized display, not the thickness or the other features they won’t use.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 edge is slightly better example of that concept. The screen of a S25+ with the weight of the S25.
At first I thought it was a return of iPhone mini, but with a more marketable name. That would make sense, as there’s a gap in the market for smaller phones - even on the Android side. People who got the older mini models are probably also starting to look for an update now.
Nah, it’s just a thinner phone. Hard pass.
The Air does not have a less powerful processor compared to the base.
It’s the same processor as the Pro but it doesn’t have the vapor chamber or aluminum chassis, and it has less thermal mass, which will inevitably cause thermal throttling and decreased performance.
And technically one fewer GPU core than the Pro phones. But you said compared to the base; while you’re right that the Air won’t match the Pro (owing in part to thermals), it’s not going to underperform the base 17.
it’s not going to underperform the base 17
Disagree. Why wouldn’t it? They put a more powerful processor and then removed more of its capacity to dissipate heat.
Can’t say anything for certain but it sure seems unlikely.
I think it’s probably mostly a showcase of their tech. Like, “look how thin we can make a phone!”
Other than that, maybe a fashion accessory.
Some people complain about phones being too big, admittedly with different specifics: weight in the hand, how it sits in a pocket, etc. Apple tried with the Mini, but it didn’t sell well. One hypothesis for the lower-than-hoped-for sales is that not everyone who complains about the size of modern phones bought one because they didn’t want to give up the big screen. So now Apple wants to sell people a smaller phone with just as big a screen. Throw in the opportunity to start recouping engineering investments made in preparation for foldable devices, and I think the Air is a logical next try after the Mini and the Plus.
It’s for the people who usually buy the Pro but don’t actually use any of the Pro features and just like having the expensive iPhone because it’s a status symbol. It will do well. I myself would buy it were it not because I have an iPad Pro and would rather prefer a smaller phone.
Edit: I know status symbol in this context is used as a derogatory term usually but I mean it in a descriptive term. Same reason many buy a Rolex vs a Casio which is just as durable and tell the time fine. If you have the cash and don’t mind the compromises, go wild it’s a gorgeous device .
It’s for two types of peoples
Those who want a thinner phone Those who want an Apple product with air in it’s name
This is just an innovation circle jerk imo, wait for the iPhone air pro 2 7g red edition (in midnight blue)
I am in the intersection of that Venn diagram.
My MacBook Air was a thing of beauty and so portable. I want that in a phone.
I also love the titanium of my 15 pro and don’t want to go back to Aluminium.
