The iPhone Air isn’t part of Apple’s numbered lineup. It’s a new tier altogether, with features that many Apple fans have been waiting for years. The Air sits alongside the standard, Plus, and Pro models, focusing on ultra-thin design and balanced performance. If you’ve been holding out for something truly different in your next iPhone, the Air might finally tip the scales. Here are the top 10 features Apple fans say they love.
Thinnest Style Ever
The iPhone Air sets a new benchmark at just 5.6 mm thick and stands as the slimmest smartphone on record. It weighs only 165 grams and feels exceptionally light for a 6.5-inch display. A 3D-printed titanium USB-C port reinforces durability despite the thin build and edges out Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge by 0.2 mm.
Radical Design
A sleek titanium frame distinguishes the iPhone Air from standard aluminum builds and delivers greater durability with improved bend resistance. The innovative ‘camera plateau’ unifies cameras, speaker, and logic board into one streamlined module. These design elements highlight deliberate engineering improvements that balance strength with elegance.
Battery Life
Apple’s engineering team achieved standout battery performance with the iPhone Air. It equals the iPhone 16 Pro’s 27 hours of video playback, supported by custom modem chips that boost efficiency. Even if it isn’t the most power-saving iPhone, its advanced high-density battery technology remains a noteworthy accomplishment.
Price Point
At $999, Apple is introducing the iPhone Air as a stylish alternative at the same price as the Plus model. It’s thinner and more design-focused, but not meant to compete with the Pro line in terms of performance. Think of it as a fashion-forward iPhone for users who want the looks without going full Pro.
A19 Pro Chip
The iPhone Air runs on Apple’s A19 Pro chip, featuring a selectively binned 5-core GPU—one core fewer than the iPhone 17 Pro. Despite this, it retains a 6-core CPU and a dedicated Neural Engine for AI tasks, delivering smooth performance for everyday use. The setup prioritizes efficiency without sacrificing responsiveness.
Display Technology
A remarkable 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness highlight the iPhone Air’s display innovations. The 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel delivers 2736×1260 resolution at 460 ppi, paired with ProMotion’s adaptive 120Hz refresh. It also reaches a minimum brightness of just one nit, all without relying on Always-On features.
Camera Upgrades
Dual Capture mode adds new creative possibilities to the iPhone Air, recording with both front and rear cameras simultaneously. The 48MP Fusion primary camera supports 1x and 2x zoom, along with 28mm and 35mm focal lengths. The 18MP front camera adapts automatically when it detects larger groups, which makes group selfies smoother without adjustment.
Durability
Ceramic Shield 2 technology makes the iPhone Air’s front display three times more resistant to scratches than previous models. Its titanium frame safeguards against bending, and the back glass also benefits from Ceramic Shield protection. On top of that, IP68 certification ensures water resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
Exclusive Software Features
Apple Intelligence and the Liquid Glass UI headline the iPhone Air’s software experience. Tools like Clean Up in Photos run smoothly, thanks to on-device AI. While these enhancements are shared across the iPhone 17 lineup, integration depth varies by model, as iOS 26 tailors features to each device’s hardware.
Storage Options
Storage capacity on the iPhone Air starts at a solid 256GB, backed by proprietary flash storage for fast data access. Options extend up to 512GB or 1TB, and pricing follows the same pattern as earlier models. The SoC’s tight integration further delivers performance on par with NVMe drives.
