At the fall 2025 press conference, Apple launched its thinnest new model - the iPhone Air. The phone is only 5.64 mm thick, which is thinner than similar flagship models and is also controlled at an extremely low level, becoming another extreme pursuit of Apple in smartphone design. From process to chips, from material to appearance, iPhone Air has demonstrated Apple's consistent ultimate design philosophy and industrial capabilities. However, with the emergence of the halo, criticism and doubt also accompanied it immediately. Lightweight means compromise. The core issue of iPhone Air lies in battery life and functional configuration, and these aspects are becoming the focus of the industry and consumers.

Breakthrough in design and performance

The iPhone Air features a titanium bezel, combined with the new Ceramic Shield 2 front glass and ceramic Shield rear case, which still maintains durability and drop resistance in an extremely slim body. In terms of screen, it is equipped with a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display, supports 120Hz ProMotion adaptive refresh rate, and can achieve peak brightness up to 3,000 nits, making it better visibility in outdoor brightness. In terms of appearance, the thickness of the iPhone Air is thinner than the 5.8mm of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, making it one of the slimmest mainstream smartphones on the market. This design achievement is not only a pursuit of appearance, but also a challenge to Apple's extreme craftsmanship and structural engineering.

In terms of performance, the iPhone Air is equipped with the latest A19 Pro chip, which adopts a 3nm process, and is both leading in the industry in terms of performance and energy efficiency. At the same time, Apple has also introduced its own second-generation C1X 5G modem, which is more energy-efficient than previous products that rely on Qualcomm, and has improved signal stability and multi-band support. In terms of wireless connectivity, the new N1 chip brings support for Wi-Fi 7, the latest Bluetooth standards and Thread technology, which means that the iPhone Air is not only a mobile phone, but also a key node in the smart home ecosystem. With iOS 26's new user interface, the system is more natural in animation fluency and touch feedback, and Apple hopes to further consolidate its ecological experience advantages.

Apple's integrated hardware and software advantages are fully reflected in the iPhone Air. The new Adaptive Power Mode can intelligently allocate power consumption according to user usage habits and scenarios to make up for the problems caused by shrinking battery capacity. In terms of photography, although the iPhone Air only retains one 48-megapixel main camera, it still continues Apple's usual level in algorithm optimization, low-light imaging and video recording. The front camera is 18 megapixels and supports Center Stage technology, which can automatically adjust the composition during video calls to keep the user in the center of the picture. Although it lacks a multi-lens system compared to the Pro series, Apple obviously hopes to make up for the gap through algorithms and chip computing power.

Functional choice and potential problems

However, the design philosophy of iPhone Air is not without its price. The thin and light body directly leads to compression of the internal space, and the most affected is the battery capacity. According to the supply chain leak and analysis agency, the iPhone Air's battery capacity may be between 2800 and 2900 milliampere hours, which is a significant drop compared to the iPhone Plus series on sale in the past three years. Although Apple claimed at the press conference that the iPhone Air has "all-weather battery life", this definition is still controversial in actual use. In video playback tests, the bare metal battery life is about 27 hours, while in more power-consuming scenarios such as streaming media playback, it may only last about 22 hours. For severe users, such performance is likely to not support a full day of use.

More importantly, the simplification of the camera system has also become the focus of discussion. The iPhone Air is only equipped with one rear main camera, omitting ultra-wide angle and telephoto lenses, which means photography enthusiasts have to rely on digital cropping and software optimization when shooting diverse scenes, and the effect is difficult to match the Pro series. Although this choice is in line with the goal of thinness and thinness, it undoubtedly weakens the competitiveness of the product in the professional imaging market. At the same time, the iPhone Air only has a single speaker design, and the stereo experience is missing. It is an obvious feature reduction for users who are used to using mobile phones to watch movies or games.

Apple acknowledged this compromise to some extent. To solve battery life anxiety, Apple simultaneously launched a slim MagSafe battery pack designed specifically for iPhone Air. The accessory fits to the body through magnetic suction, giving the phone an additional 65% battery life, extending the video playback time to 40 hours. Although the battery pack is as light as possible in appearance, it still significantly increases the body thickness after being added, partially offsetting the original design intention of the iPhone Air. More importantly, this battery pack only supports iPhone Air and is not compatible with other models of the iPhone 17 series, limiting its universality and arousing the outside world's doubts about whether Apple is deliberately promoting the sales of accessories.

From the consumer point of view, the target population of iPhone Air seems to be users who focus on portability and design aesthetics, rather than tech enthusiasts who pursue full-featured experiences. Its positioning in the market is closer to the third product line that iPhone mini and iPhone Plus have tried. But historical experience shows that Apple's third model is often difficult to last. The iPhone mini was discontinued due to insufficient market demand, and the iPhone Plus also withdrew from the stage three years later. Whether the iPhone Air can gain a foothold in the consumer market remains an open question.

Market reaction and future prospect

In terms of market pricing, the iPhone Air starts at $999, which is lower than some high-end Android models and lower than the entry-level price of the iPhone 17 Pro series. This strategy shows that Apple hopes to use Air models to attract more mid-to-high-end users, and at the same time compete with Samsung, Huawei, Honor and other manufacturers in emerging markets. Analysts generally believe that the iPhone Air will become the focus of this year's holiday shopping season, especially in the Chinese market, where the lightweight design and lower starting price may win the favor of some consumers again.

However, the questioning voice also exists. On the one hand, competitors have launched a new generation of thin and light flagships using silicon-carbon batteries, which can maintain a slim design and take into account stronger battery life. On the other hand, consumers have limited acceptance of single cameras and shortened battery life. If they have to rely on an additional battery pack to meet daily needs, the core value of the iPhone Air will be weakened.

It can be said that the iPhone Air is the most controversial product Apple has in recent years. It is impeccable in industrial design and chip performance, demonstrating Apple's ambition to push the limits of smartphones. However, the extreme lightweight trend it represents also makes people rethink: is it necessary to sacrifice daily experiences such as battery life, image and sound while pursuing portability and aesthetics? Whether this phone will eventually become the new normal of Apple's product line or repeat the mistakes of the iPhone mini and Plus, it will still be left to the market for testing.