Apple debuted its super-slim iPhone Air on Tuesday, and after getting my hands on the device at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, I’m amazed at just how thin and lightweight it really is. At just 5.6mm thick and 165 grams, it’s one of those phones you may just have to hold to understand its appeal. I look forward to finding out if what’s on the inside lives up to that show-stopping design.
With the iPhone Air in one hand and my iPhone 16 Pro Max in the other, the difference between the two devices is striking. The former feels refreshingly airy and slick compared to my heftier current phone, though there are trade-offs when it comes to specs like camera and battery (more on that in a moment). Like Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which I reviewed earlier this year, it’s a phone you’ll hardly feel in a pocket or bag. It feels sturdy enough, and I look forward to doing the Back Pocket Test to see just how well it holds up.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
The highly anticipated iPhone Air starts at $999 ( 999, AU$1,799). It has a titanium frame for a durable, lightweight build, and the company’s Ceramic Shield covers the front and back. An anti-reflective display and 3,000-nit peak brightness should make it easier to see the screen in bright sunlight — which I look forward to testing once I get it outdoors.
For now, though, I can tell you that the iPhone Air may give other thin devices like Samsung’s S25 Edge a run for their money — and potentially help the niche category get more attention by stirring up interest among more consumers.
«The iPhone 17 Air takes center stage today,» Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC, said in a statement. «It is also the first step in a strategic design makeover, paving the road to a foldable iPhone possibly next year. While it may not drive mass volume, it is not meant to. It will draw in users who prioritize a lighter and sleeker device over function, expanding Apple’s user appeal and demographic. There are plenty of consumers eagerly waiting for the slim and sexy new iPhone Air.»
The Air has a generous 6.5-inch screen, and fits nicely in my hand; it doesn’t feel too small or too big. And like the baseline iPhone 17, it has a ProMotion display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, meaning it supports an always-on display (a feature I personally can’t live without) so you can see your notifications without waking the screen. It’s a welcome change, since previously, only Apple’s Pro model phones had that 120Hz display.
The iPhone Air packs an A19 Pro chip. It also has Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as a faster and more efficient version of its in-house 5G modem, the C1X, which is an update to the C1 modem it debuted on the iPhone 16E earlier this year.
Apple on Tuesday called the Air the «most power-efficient iPhone we have ever made,» and says it has all-day battery life — though you can buy a MagSafe battery that Apple is already touting to extend that life. Adaptive Power in iOS 26 can also help conserve battery life by automatically adjusting your iPhone’s performance based on how you’re using it at that moment, according to Apple. I look forward to testing the battery in my day-to-day life, and seeing how it compares to the 3,900-mAh battery on the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is one of that phone’s main drawbacks.
On the back, the iPhone Air has a 48-megapixel fusion camera, which also allows for 2x telephoto pictures. On the front, you’ll find Apple’s new 18-megapixel Center Stage selfie camera that works in both a landscape and portrait orientation. I played with this feature in Apple’s demo room and was impressed with how well it adjusted the frame from portrait to landscape as more people came into view. I’m eager to keep using that feature and seeing just how much that solo 48-megapixel fusion lens on the back can accomplish.
Preorders for the iPhone Air and the entire iPhone 17 lineup begin on Friday, with the new device hitting stores the following Friday, Sept. 19.