I spent a week with the iPhone Air, and Apple’s biggest mistake is clear
I have been crying out for innovation in the mobile market for some time. The excitement of phone launches during the 2010s has been waning for some time, with each edition of mobile phones from the likes of Android and Apple becoming less impressive each time.
AI has helped in more recent times, bringing meaningful changes to our day-to-day use, such as photo editing tools and personal assistants. But on the whole, the design and nature of phones have stagnated for some time.
Step forward the iPhone Air, which undoubtedly has the feel of the future with its ultralightweight design and polished finish. One thing is for sure: It was exciting to unbox and use, but one thing in my mind really let it down. Read on to find out what.
Apple iPhone Air specifications
- Dimensions: 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.64mm (6.15 x 2.94 x 0.22 in)
- Weight: 165g
- Build: Glass front (Ceramic Shield 2), glass back (Ceramic Shield), titanium frame
- Display: OLED, 120Hz, 3,000 nits (peak brightness), 6.5 inches
- Processor: A19 Pro
- Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM
- Camera: Single set-up: 48MP main, and 18MP selfie camera
- Battery: Li-Ion 3,149mAh, non-removable
- Colours: Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, Space Black
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Up in the Air: Who’s the iPhone Air really for?
The first 60 minutes with my iPhone Air were joyous. Taking it out of the box felt innovative, fresh and futuristic, and I was excited to get stuck in using this phone. And at the price point of £999 for the entry-level 256GB storage, I was expecting good performance from the device to accompany its slick look.
However, what I got was average to poor performance in some areas, which really surprised me. The positives were the selfie camera, which was great, and the Centre Stage feature was a game-changer for getting pics of not only me but also my friends.
But the single-shooter on the back felt like a letdown. The quality of the images was excellent, and I was even happy with the photos I got where I really zoomed in on a subject. However, capturing landscape images, particularly landmarks, was tricky and had me wishing for a dedicated ultrawide lens.
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Another point worth mentioning is that this phone is not designed for heavy usage. I was worried almost immediately when I uploaded all of my iCloud data onto the Air for the first time, and the camera plateau heated up at an alarming rate – to the point where I didn’t want to use it again until it had completely cooled down. Similarly, if I wanted to stream content from YouTube or Netflix, the Air would start to heat up about 20 minutes in.
This got me thinking… who is the prime target audience for the iPhone Air? It is an expensive novelty thin device with all the hallmarks of being a trendy phone well into the future.
In my mind, the perfect target audience for this kind of phone is the influencer market, which relies on having all the trendy gadgets to show off in their online presence. However, I can’t see an influencer being overly thrilled with the camera quality or how quickly it heats up with plenty of usage, which they will need to do as part of their job.
So, that leaves the question of who the correct target audience for the iPhone Air is. This is where I believe Apple made a mistake with the pricing. If the phone had been £100-200 cheaper, it would have brought in a much wider market of people purchasing the phone because of its nice design. But I can’t see many customers happy with the pricing point, given the performance issues that it no doubt has.
The Air’s success will hinge on visibility, particularly on people seeing it in real life, passing it between friends, and experiencing that immediate “Wow, it’s so light and thin” reaction. Yet, with the current price point, Apple could struggle to generate the widespread exposure it’s aiming for.
Final verdict: Light on weight, lighter on value
Admittedly, it is hard to get past the pricing, especially when you can get a slightly older model iPhone or even a refurbished iPhone for half the price, offering a better camera and battery. However, it is still important to say that this is still a good phone.
The display is wonderful and packed full of vibrant colours, made even better by iOS 26’s liquid glass setup, which I have come to really love. The 120Hz refresh rate, combined with the A19 Pro chip, made using the phone really fun and fast and gave it a premium feel, even though a 120Hz refresh rate has been a staple on Samsung Galaxy phones for a while.
The design is also lovely, and Apple has done an incredible job making such a light and slim phone feel so sturdy (I didn’t even feel like I needed to put a case on it). The colour I opted for (Sky Blue) felt futuristic and exclusive, which I loved. And I did have lots of interesting questions from friends when I used it, so Apple clearly did something right with the design.
But once you got over the novelty of how sleek, thin, and light it was, I got more frustrated by the end of the week with a few things. The battery performance was draining, if you pardon the pun, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking it on a holiday or to an event where I wanted great pictures to remember it by.
In the end, Apple’s craftsmanship can’t be faulted. The iPhone Air is stunning to hold and a joy to use. But once the novelty of its design wears off, it’s hard to justify the £999 price tag when slimmer margins come with bigger compromises. For a phone built to feel weightless, its price feels anything but.
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