The iPhone Air, announced September 2025, is Apple’s slimmest and lightest handset ever, measuring just 5.6 mm thick and weighing 165 grams, yet still packing pro-level performance.
It has a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion support up to 120 Hz and up to 3,000 nits peak outdoor brightness.
The chassis uses a grade-5 titanium frame with a mirror polish, and both front and back are covered with Apple’s Ceramic Shield (front: with new scratch resistance; back: now protected for greater crack resistance) to improve durability.
For cameras, it has a 48 MP Fusion main camera with 2× optical-quality telephoto enabled via the same sensor, plus an 18 MP Center Stage front camera that expands or rotates framing depending on orientation and subject.
Under the hood there’s the A19 Pro chip, a custom C1X modem, and Apple’s N1 wireless chip (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Thread), delivering excellent efficiency and all-day battery life. An optional MagSafe battery accessory extends video playback further.
The iPhone Air is available in four finishes (space black, cloud white, light gold, sky blue), and starting storage is 256 GB, and that version costs $999.
Contrary to a recent rumor, Apple didn’t delay the launch of the iPhone Air 2 to 2027 — that was seemingly the company’s plan all along.
A new report adds more info about the road map for the super-slim device, as well as shedding more light on Apple’s plans to spread out iPhone launches starting in 2026 to give its marketing team some breathing room.
The second-generation iPhone Air won’t launch next fall, according to an unconfirmed report published Monday. The super-slim new smartphone is apparently such a dud with customers that Apple put the follow-up on hold.
Reports that the iPhone Air hasn’t found an audience have circulated almost since the handset premiered in September.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple reportedly plans to pay a cool $1 billion a year to use Google Gemini to make Siri smarter. How do we feel about that? Honestly, anything that fixes Siri sooner rather than later would be a big win.
Anybody creeped out about iPhones and Macs with Google inside should rest easy, though. Apple plans to keep everything safe and secure. And Cupertino’s still scrambling to get its own AI up to speed.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Apple might address one of the biggest criticisms of its ultra-thin iPhone Air by adding a second camera to the next-generation model, according to a new leak Thursday from a reliable source with knowledge of the company’s supply chain. Unfortunately, it looks like the new addition to the iPhone Air will be a wide-angle camera, not the popular telephoto found in iPhone Pro models.
However, if the dual-camera system materializes, it would make the iPhone Air a more compelling option for users seeking an ultra-thin device without sacrificing essential photography features.
The iPhone Air is Apple’s latest attempt to make a fourth iPhone variant. It’s bombing, just like previous similar efforts. It’s clear that the vast majority of customers are happy with the other versions and have no interest in another type of iPhone, no matter what design it uses.
Apple should drop the whole idea. Too many options are as bad as too few.
Low demand for the super-slim iPhone Air in markets outside China led Apple to drastically cut its production orders, according to a new report. But the company is increasing assembly for other iPhone 17 models due to high demand.
The report comes after the iPhone Air sold out within minutes of preorders opening in China last week. After the initial buzz faded, demand appears to have dropped off
After a month’s delay, Apple will launch the iPhone Air in China on Wednesday, October 22. Preorders for the device will begin this Friday, October 17.
Apple pushed back the iPhone Air’s September launch in China at the last minute due to regulatory hurdles around eSIM support.
The iPhone Air already stands out with its sleek, ultra-thin design. A modder has now taken it a step further and added a custom transparent back glass to give the phone an even stunning look.
The result is a retro-mod vibe that shows off the phone’s internals in all its glory.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dish out our reviews of the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air and AirPods Pro 3.
How’s the battery life? How’s the cosmic orange? How badly does the iPhone 17 Pro scratch? How good is AirPods’ new Live Translation feature?
In this extra-long edition, we go deep on our first impressions of Apple’s latest gear.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Apple officially addressed the iPhone 17‘s Scratchgate issue. It says the problem isn’t due to the new glass-and-aluminum design, blaming worn-out MagSafe risers and chargers in retail displays instead.
iPhone 17’s Scratchgate controversy surfaced just days after it went on sale, sparking widespread concern among early buyers.
Apple’s 2025 iPhone lineup is its boldest — and most confusing — yet. It offers three distinct models designed to cater to very different kinds of users. From the slim and stylish iPhone Air to the all-out powerhouse iPhone 17 Pro, with the well-balanced iPhone 17 in between, there’s something here for everyone.
But with overlapping features, similar pricing and Apple blurring the lines between Pro and non-Pro models, choosing the right iPhone isn’t as straightforward as it used to be.
★★★★☆
The iPhone Air is what the people say they’ve been asking for: something new. This is the first iPhone in a long time that will truly shock you when you take it out of the box and hold it in your hand.
That means cutting a few things you’ve come to expect from the iPhone: the second speaker, the second (and third) rear cameras … but also, the thickness and weight. And the more time I spent with the iPhone Air, the more I appreciated what was still there: the super-bright and big display, the improved front camera and, most surprisingly, the battery life.
Here’s my experience switching from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone Air. It’s a path I think you might enjoy taking, too. Keep reading or watch our video review.
Do not worry that you’ll accidentally bend your iPhone Air. Despite its super-slim shape, tests show that it takes a huge amount of pressure to get the sleek new model to break.
That should reassure those who might accidentally sit on the handset.
Apple’s new iPhone Air surprised repair experts by proving ultra-thin doesn’t have to mean harder to fix. Despite measuring just 5.6mm thick — making it Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever — the device earned a solid 7 out of 10 repairability score from iFixit in its iPhone Air teardown, matching the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro.
And the teardown reveals how they made it so thin in the first place.
SAN FRANCISCO — The iPhone 17 Scratchgate drama is real. Demo units of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models in Apple retail stores are showing scratches on opening weekend. The scratches appeared on their aluminum frames and on the glass panels on their backs.
I examined demo iPhones at Apple Stonestown in San Francisco on Friday (the busy iPhone 17 launch day) and again on Sunday. Many of the new iPhone 17 Pros and iPhone Airs are already scratched, especially the iPhone 17 Pro in deep blue and the iPhone Air in space black. But other colors showed scratches, too, even the iPhone 17 Pro in cosmic orange — the hot color this year.
Crowds thronged to Apple stores around the globe Friday to pick up the newest iPhones — the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air — on launch day. Apple CEO Tim Cook himself threw open the doors of Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City on Friday morning.
Alongside the exciting new iPhone lineup, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and AirPods Pro 3 also arrived at Apple retail stores and authorized outlets on Friday
Alongside the iPhone Air, Apple launched a battery pack specifically for the phone. And interestingly, the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery uses the same capacity battery as the device it supports.
The folks over at iFixit tore down the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery and discovered its unusual shape. Based on preliminary evidence, they concluded Apple might be using the exact same battery inside the iPhone Air.
iOS 26 introduces a new Adaptive Power mode to extend your iPhone’s battery under load. And Apple’s newest iPhones — iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air — will ship with this feature enabled by default.
On older iPhones, you must manually enable Adaptive Power to boost their runtime.
Weekend preorder demand for the iPhone 17 family outpaced last year’s iPhone 16, says TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. As per Apple’s production estimates, the analyst says the Pro Max model remains the undisputed demand leader.
The strong iPhone 17 preorder should help boost Apple’s Q3 2025 results.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to be the favorite of those rushing to grab a new Apple device on the first day of preorders. Order this model now in the United States, and the wait for the delivery stretches out until October.
In contrast, the super-slim iPhone Air can still be ordered for delivery on launch day, September 19. The same is true for iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17.
UPDATE: Two days after 2025 iPhone preorders began, the wait time to have most iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations delivered from the U.S. Apple Store has slipped to mid-October. But the situation hasn’t changed for the iPhone Air: You can still order the super-slim phone for delivery on launch day, September 19. Meanwhile, early stocks of the base-model iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are starting to run out.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After Apple’s truly Awe Dropping event, we’re picking up the pieces and discussing iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and the rest of the new hardware.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
There’s no need to wait: Shop the best iPhone 17 cases available now so you can slide your new device directly into one when it arrives. As you may know, new iPhones are pretty tough. And sure, lots of people go caseless to show off their handset’s sleek lines and cool color.
But imagine you drop it and break it, or crack the edge of the glass without even knowing how it happened — like I did recently with my iPhone 16 Pro (and just weeks ahead of likely trade-in!).
Yes, breakage can be crushing. But fortunately, even though the iPhone lineup 17 just came out, you can already choose from plenty of protective new cases — and avoid my sad fate.
Case makers plan for the new iPhone every year, with plenty of timely new releases. You could go minimal with a thin case that works well with iPhone Air’s sleek design. You might seek extreme impact resistance for the most damaging drops for your iPhone 17, or maybe you’d pick a luxurious leather that only looks better with age. For those looking for durable yet stylish protection for an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, you can find a variety of well-crafted options.
We gathered the best iPhone 17 cases you can buy right now — in addition to cases by Apple and its subsidiary Beats — with prices starting as low as $19.
Apple’s super-slim iPhone Air will not launch in China on September 19. The company also did not start accepting preorders for the device today in the country.
The issue stems from the iPhone Air only supporting eSIM — it lacks a physical SIM slot. So, the company needs additional regulatory approval for the phone’s launch in China.
Apple is now accepting preorders for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The devices will hit store shelves next Friday, on September 19 — the same day preorders get delivered.
Update: An hour after the pre-orders started, demand for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is already starting to exceed supply. An order placed now in the U.S. for most configurations of this top-of-line model won’t ship until late September, and others won’t arrive before October.
Apple is already taking preorders for the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. All three will be available at retail starting September 19.
The concerns about iPhone Air battery life now seem overblown. Apple gave data on how long the new, super-slim handset lasts between recharges, and it’s going to beat most previous iPhones.
While it won’t offer the best battery life ever in an iPhone, the early report that it won‘t last a typical day without needing a recharge turned out to be baloney.