It’s been four months since the iPhone Air came out, and it hasn’t exactly been a huge success. Sales are reportedly so low that Apple is delaying the next-generation model. MacRumors cameraman Dan Barbera shares what it’s been like to use Apple’s thinnest and lightest iPhone on a daily basis over the past few months.
With its super slim design, the iPhone Air still impresses even after months. It is much lighter than other iPhone models, which makes it a joy to use. The iPhone Air is Apple’s best one-handed smartphone, and it will impress anyone who tries it.
The frosted glass texture is attractive and the titanium frame makes it durable. The glass resists fingerprints and doesn’t slip, so it can be used without a case. That’s a good thing, as the case tends to ruin the ultra-thin feel. However, the iPhone Air is all glass, so it will still break if dropped, and AppleCare+ is recommended.
The iPhone Air has the smallest battery in the iPhone 17 lineup, and there were big concerns that it wouldn’t last a full day. As long as you don’t use it for high-end gaming, the battery is perfectly fine. Dan had no problem with battery life for everyday activities like browsing social media, YouTube, navigation and using CarPlay.
If you’re someone who only uses a wide-angle camera on an iPhone, you might not miss the ultra-wide or telephoto lenses, but having only a single-lens rear camera is one of the main downsides of the iPhone Air. You get 1x and 2x zoom, but no 0.5x mode, no macro lens, and no 5x telephoto lens. For some people, this is definitely a barrier.
There’s also only one speaker, and while it’s fine for use in quiet rooms, if you like to use your iPhone for things like listening to music in the shower, it might not be good enough.
The biggest flaw on the iPhone Air is the price tag. Sure, it’s light, thin, and has an impressive design, but it costs $999. For $200 less, you can get the standard iPhone 17 with two cameras and nearly identical performance, and for $100 more, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro, which has three cameras and faster performance. The only sacrifice is thinness, and it’s clear that most people aren’t willing to pay more for the loss of features for a thin and light design.
At the moment, it is not entirely clear when the new iPhone Air will be released. Rumors initially suggested that we would get the second-generation model in the fall of 2026, but sales have been below expectations, so Apple is holding back on the new model to make some changes.
The next iPhone Air could have a second camera and display improvements like a smaller Dynamic Island to make it more attractive, with a potential launch in spring 2027.