After months of speculation, Apple unveiled the all-new iPhone Air on September 9. This sleek device redefines the traditional iPhone design by integrating all components beneath a new camera plateau. This fascinating feat of engineering condenses vital elements into a compact format, allowing Apple to enhance battery performance not only for this model, but for the Pro variants as well.
Featuring a titanium finish, incorporating the same display technologies as an iPhone 17 Pro, and equipped with a Ceramic Shield on both sides, it’s clear that many Apple enthusiasts will be eager to purchase the iPhone Air on September 19. Yet, despite its remarkable features and specifications, there are some drawbacks and concerns that might cause potential buyers to hesitate before spending $999 on this ultra-slim device.
The iPhone Air boasts many excellent attributes, but its absence of significant features could lead some to consider passing on it for at least this generation. Here are the main reasons to opt out of the iPhone Air and prefer a regular or Pro model instead.
Reasons to pass on the initial iPhone Air
Even though Apple has included the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone Air, it has one less GPU core compared to the same chip in the iPhone 17 Pro models. While this shouldn’t considerably affect performance, it won’t match the iPhone 17 Pro’s capabilities, especially since it lacks the vapor chamber designed solely for Pro models.
Apple has also worked diligently to ensure the iPhone Air’s battery life is satisfactory. However, to achieve the same efficiency as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, users will need to invest an additional $100 in the MagSafe Battery Pack, which somewhat undermines the purpose of acquiring the thinnest iPhone ever created.
It’s now 2026, and a smartphone priced at $999 shouldn’t feature just a single main camera. Apple asserts that the Fusion Main camera is “four lenses in one camera,” yet users can capture up to 12-megapixel images with a 2x “optical” zoom, and that’s the extent of it. Photos taken with this device may look fantastic, but users will miss out on Pro attributes such as enhanced zoom, macro photography, spatial video, and Cinematic mode.
Further concerns regarding the iPhone Air
Delving deeper into the iPhone Air’s features, it’s important to point out that it lacks the fast charging abilities of the other iPhone 17 models, meaning it won’t reach 50% charge in 20 minutes. iPhone Air users will need to wait 30 minutes instead. Additionally, its USB-C port only supports USB 2 speeds, resulting in slower data transfers via cable.
Moreover, due to its thin design, Apple omitted a speaker on the bottom, resulting in the iPhone Air offering only mono sound capabilities without headphones. Still, the iPhone Air is undeniably an impressive accomplishment by Apple. Nonetheless, it comes across more as a preview of technologies being developed for the anticipated iPhone Fold than a leading smartphone.
These compromises may be acceptable for some consumers, but they are important to consider regardless. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer to experience it, as the iPhone Air will be available for preorder on September 12 and will begin shipping on September 19.
