IPhone Air Is the Most Interesting Apple Device in Recent Years
Apple’s big launch event set for September 2025 has concluded, and the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air (sans the “17” modifier) have been officially unveiled, along with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Here are all the details you need to know about the first two models, which are likely to be the most popular options, particularly the Air, the 2025 model that replaces the iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup and looks like the most interesting device Apple has released in a while.
Thin in
Thinness in smartphones has become especially important in 2025 (see, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge) , and the iPhone Air continues this trend, measuring just 5.6 mm (0.22 inches) thick, significantly thicker than the 5.8 mm (0.23 inches) of the same Samsung device. Apple’s marketing pitch called it “a piece of the future.”
The iPhone Air has the same A19 Pro chipset as the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and is likely Apple’s most power-efficient and durable iPhone ever. It features Ceramic Shield protection on both the front and back, with the latest Ceramic Shield 2 coating protecting the main panel from scratches and cracks. It’s also made from 80% recycled titanium.
In terms of design, there’s a camera panel (or “plateau” as Apple calls it) on the back, and a 6.5-inch display on the front that supports ProMotion with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. There are four colors to choose from: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, and Sky Blue.
iPhone Air Disadvantages: Camera, Battery Life
So the Air is super thin and just as powerful as the Pro models. So what’s the catch? For starters, it only has a single 48-megapixel rear camera, although Apple says it’s actually four cameras in one: you can take 12-megapixel photos with a 2x telephoto lens, for example. On the front, there’s an 18-megapixel selfie camera with iPad-like Center Stage, which will try to keep your face in frame and even automatically switch from portrait to landscape mode depending on how many people are in the frame.
Another issue is battery life. Apple placed most of the components at the top of the case to make room for a larger battery, and cut out the physical SIM card slot — this device will only work with eSIMs worldwide. Still, Apple claims “all-day battery life” for the Air, and sells a portable battery pack that will extend the battery life to 40 hours of video playback. Without the battery, the battery life is 27 hours — three hours less than the iPhone 17.
Despite its limitations, the Air’s looks and style, as well as the fact that it’s an entirely new model, will likely make it appealing to many. The iPhone Plus has been around for three years, starting in 2022 with the iPhone 14, and before that, you may remember, there was the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, and Apple is hoping the Air will outsell all of those models.
The iPhone 17 is an attractive, mediocre product
And let’s not forget the humble iPhone 17. While the standard iPhone has often been overshadowed by more expensive, feature-rich models in recent years, this year’s entry-level flagship sports a 6.3-inch screen (up from the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display) and, for the first time, supports ProMotion with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which allows for smoother scrolling and animations, as well as an always-on display. The new Ceramic Shield 2 protection is on the front, rather than the back like the Air.
The processor is an upgrade over the iPhone 16, but only to the standard A19 (non-Pro), which Apple says is more powerful and efficient than the A18. There’s a 48MP + 48MP dual-camera setup on the back with an ultra-wide lens and a 2x telephoto lens, and the same 18MP front-facing camera with Center Stage as the Air. The standard iPhone 17 comes in black, lavender, smoky blue, sage, and white.
Both phones are available for pre-order starting Friday, September 12, with sales beginning Friday, September 19. The iPhone 17 starts at $799 (the same as the iPhone 16), despite starting with twice the storage of its predecessor — 256GB versus 128GB. The cheapest iPhone Air is $999, also with 256GB of storage.