It is So Onerous to Resist the Actuality Distortion Subject

Okay, so I’ve had some sleep to relaxation up (just a bit) from the craziness of yesterday’s Apple Event, but additionally time to gather some ideas on the iPhone Air (beginning at $999) that I acquired to check out after the keynote. There’s little question in my thoughts that Apple has captured the identical sort of consideration with the iPhone Air’s super-thin design because it did when Steve Jobs pulled out the unique MacBook Air from a manila envelope. The iPhone Air is simply so unbelievably skinny—I felt like I may simply snap it in half (extra on sturdiness later)—and but I couldn’t resist drooling just like the lots of of different members of the media, creators, and influencers fondling it on the Steve Jobs Theater.

First take a look at all 4 iPhone Air colours in hand. And the brand new $99 MagSafe Battery Pack for it and the way it compares to the older Lightning MagSafe battery pack #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/tnaIGbhdgN

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) September 9, 2025

I acquired to rise up shut and private with all 4 colours of the iPhone Air. The “cloud white” and “house black” are my favourite; the latter jogs my memory of the “jet black” iPhone 7 that I adored. “Mild gold” appears to be like good and impartial, too. “Sky blue” is my least favourite; it’s simply not my vibe, although it could look white or mild grey at sure angles and below totally different lighting.

Regardless of having a 6.5-inch 120Hz “ProMotion” show that’s bigger than the 6.3-inch display that I’m used to on my iPhone 16 Professional, the 5.64mm thinness and 165g (5.82 ounces) made the footprint really feel extra compact than it objectively is. I introduced alongside a Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for comparability and the iPhone Air, regardless of being 0.16mm thinner feels skinnier due to its curved titanium body that melts into the Ceramic Defend 2 entrance glass and matte Ceramic Defend bottom glass. The S25 Edge’s boxier design and straight rails dig extra into your palm and make the system look thicker. 

iPhone Air thinned comparability with Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/BlujtA6wV1

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) September 9, 2025

I really feel assured the iPhone Air can reduce cake just like the S25 Edge…

It’s clear that the iPhone Air is Apple’s new premium smartphone, at the least by way of design. Whereas the iPhone 17 and 17 Pros are extra perform over type than earlier technology fashions, the iPhone Air appears to be like probably the most jewelry-like with its polished titanium body. That shiny end does imply the steel will get coated in fingerprints quick, however it’s additionally a luxurious aesthetic that Apple hasn’t used because the iPhone 14 Pros, which had polished stainless-steel frames. Cowl the iPhone Air in a case or Apple’s official bumper, and none of this issues. As a case hater, I admire the uncooked really feel of the iPhone Air.

When it comes to sturdiness, whereas I did really feel like I’d snap the iPhone Air and Apple would have an iPhone 6 #bendgate state of affairs another time, the telephone is surprisingly sturdy. I evenly pressed into the display within the hands-on space, and it didn’t flex. Clearly, Apple made certain the structural design was stable.

I had some considerations that the iPhone Air may be top-heavy with the one 48-megapixel Fusion digital camera mounted on its new elongated island or plateau, however it isn’t. Apple appears to have labored some magic arranging the interior parts so it feels balanced within the hand and doesn’t tip over. I forgot to do a desk wobble check like I did with the iPhone 17 Pro, although.

There are a lot of issues that I couldn’t check in-depth, just like the A19 Professional chip. With out my staple of third-party apps, I can solely say that the iPhone Air operating iOS 26 with the brand new Liquid Glass consumer interface felt quick and easy. Battery life is one other characteristic that’ll have to attend for assessment testing. It’s affordable to consider that the iPhone Air could not have the stamina to get you thru a full day until you plug it in or purchase Apple’s official $99 iPhone Air MagSafe Battery, which helps give the skinny telephone as much as 40 hours (of video playback). I did get to take a look at the MagSafe Battery and might verify three issues: 1) it’s acquired a bigger footprint than the discontinued Lightning one launched alongside the iPhone 12 collection, 2) it solely works with the iPhone Air, not some other iPhone 17 fashions or older iPhones due to the larger dimensions, and three) it’s fairly dang skinny. Snapped to the again of the iPhone Air, it doesn’t add that a lot thickness or weight. I nonetheless love my OG MagSafe Battery, and I feel I’ll most likely be okay with this one.

A better take a look at the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery Pack and the way it compares to the outdated MagSafe Battery Pack. It’s thinner, bigger, and fees with USB-C! $99 so as to add extra battery life to the iPhone Air #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/Ssmbo5wScQ

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) September 9, 2025

I’ll want to make use of an iPhone Air for quite a lot of minutes total to actually see if all the things is as much as snuff—the display, the efficiency, the battery life, the cameras, and the audio system. However as the brand new aspirational iPhone, Apple nailed it. I’ve been an iPhone Professional consumer because the iPhone 11 Pro. I shoot numerous photographs and video, and wish as a lot battery life and efficiency as potential with out going Professional Max. (I nonetheless care a few telephone that I can use with one hand and that matches into my pants pockets.) The iPhone Air is beautiful to take a look at and maintain, however will any potential compromises be dealbreakers? The one approach to discover out is to totally check it.