The iPhone 17 Air is not just another addition to Apple’s lineup – it’s a bold attempt to rethink what an iPhone can be. After years of incremental updates, this model represents the company’s first significant design overhaul since the iPhone X era, and it shows. 
Our review takes a closer look at whether Apple’s gamble on ultra-thin design, premium materials, and stripped-down features is a step forward or a risky experiment.
At just 165 grams and an astonishing 5.6mm in thickness, the iPhone Air feels like holding a concept device that somehow escaped into the real world. The titanium frame adds a reassuring sturdiness, and the shiny finish elevates it above its siblings in the iPhone 17 family. Yet, the irony is clear: while the phone’s body is razor-thin, the camera bump juts out even more prominently, drawing mixed reactions. Apple insists this is the cost of keeping cutting-edge optics in such a slim shell, but many users wonder if a slightly thicker design with a larger battery would have been more practical.
The 6.5-inch SuperRetina XDR OLED display hits a sweet spot in usability. Larger than the standard iPhone 17 and smaller than the Pro Max, it delivers Apple’s LTPO variable refresh rate technology (1–120Hz) and benefits from the upgraded Ceramic Shield 2 protection. In our brightness tests, the display peaked at 998 nits, with certain zones punching even higher, ensuring great outdoor visibility. In day-to-day use, it feels fluid, crisp, and remarkably refined.
Performance is no slouch either. The Air runs on Apple’s A19 Pro chip, slightly toned down compared to the Pro line due to one less GPU core, but still among the strongest performers in benchmarks. More impressively, it manages thermals better than some bulkier rivals, including Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. This efficiency helps offset the 3,149mAh battery, which on paper looks modest, but in testing yielded an Active Use Score of 12 hours and 44 minutes – not groundbreaking, but certainly reliable for a phone this thin.
Where the Air compromises is in photography. The single 48MP camera can capture solid shots, but it lacks the versatility of the Pro’s multiple lenses. Combined with the underwhelming single-speaker audio setup, the device clearly positions itself for a specific audience: those who value sleekness and cutting-edge industrial design over all-rounder functionality.
In a sense, the iPhone Air is Apple’s most polarizing phone in years. It’s undeniably beautiful and futuristic, but its radical thinness and minimalist approach won’t please everyone. Some users are already asking why Apple didn’t go for a balanced 8–9mm thickness with a bigger battery and smaller bump. Others are charmed by its elegance, declaring it one of the boldest iPhones ever. The truth lies somewhere in between: the iPhone Air is both a glimpse of the future and a reminder that innovation often comes with trade-offs.
2 comments
they made the thinnest iphone ever just to sell you magsafe to make it thick again 🤦
some will hate, some will love… but at least apple finally tried smth different