By Josh Render
Copyright tomsguide
Skip to main content
Tom’s Guide
Newsletters
View Profile
Search Tom’s Guide
You May Like
iPhone Air announced — thinnest iPhone ever, specs, features, size, colors and all the upgrades
The iPhone 17 Air may be great — but I’m not sure if Apple’s customers really want it
iPhone 17 Air vs Galaxy S25 Edge — How Apple Can Blow Away Samsung
Phone Insights
Phone Best Picks
Phone Deals
Phone Face-Offs
Phone How-Tos
Phone Reviews
Network Carriers
Android Phones
Google Phones
Motorola Phones
OnePlus Phones
Samsung Phones
Nothing Phone
TV Best Picks
TV Face-Offs
Audio Insights
Audio Best Picks
Audio Deals
Audio Face-Offs
Audio How-Tos
Audio Reviews
Over-Ear Headphones
Bluetooth Speakers
Smart Speakers
TV & Audio Brands
Entertainment
Streaming Devices
Prime Video
Paramount Plus
PlayStation
Handheld Gaming
Gaming Peripherals
Connections
Computing Insights
Computing Best Picks
Computing Deals
Computing Face-Offs
Computing How-Tos
Computing News
Computing Reviews
VPN Best Picks
VPN Face-Offs
VPN How-Tos
VPN Reviews
Operating Systems
Identity Theft Protection
Parental Controls
Malware & Adware
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
Smart Glasses
Chromebooks
Gaming Laptops
Apple Desktops
Gaming Desktops
Android Tablets
Computing Brands
AI Insights
AI Best Picks
AI Face-Offs
Google Gemini
Apple Intelligence
Mattress Best Picks
Mattress Deals
Mattress Face-Offs
Mattress How-Tos
Mattress News
Mattress Reviews
Mattress Care
Mattress Toppers
Pillows & Bedding
Smartwatches
Fitness Trackers
Smart Rings
Apple Watch
Home Insights
Home Best Picks
Home Face-Offs
Home How-Tos
Home Reviews
Home Topics
Home Appliances
Home Office
Home Security
Home Brands
Popular Brands
View Phones
Phone Insights
Phone Best Picks
Phone Deals
Phone Face-Offs
Phone How-Tos
Phone Reviews
Network Carriers
View Network Carriers
Android Phones
View Android Phones
Google Phones
Motorola Phones
OnePlus Phones
Samsung Phones
Nothing Phone
TV Best Picks
TV Face-Offs
Audio Insights
View Audio Insights
Audio Best Picks
Audio Deals
Audio Face-Offs
Audio How-Tos
Audio Reviews
Headphones
View Headphones
Over-Ear Headphones
View Speakers
Bluetooth Speakers
Smart Speakers
TV & Audio Brands
Entertainment
View Entertainment
View Streaming
Streaming Devices
Prime Video
Paramount Plus
View Gaming
PlayStation
Handheld Gaming
Gaming Peripherals
Word Games
Connections
View Computing
Computing Insights
Computing Best Picks
Computing Deals
Computing Face-Offs
Computing How-Tos
Computing News
Computing Reviews
VPN Best Picks
VPN Face-Offs
VPN How-Tos
VPN Reviews
View Hardware
View Software
Operating Systems
View Security
Identity Theft Protection
Parental Controls
Malware & Adware
View VR & AR
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
Smart Glasses
View Laptops
Chromebooks
Gaming Laptops
View Desktops
Apple Desktops
Gaming Desktops
View Tablets
Android Tablets
Computing Brands
AI Insights
AI Best Picks
AI Face-Offs
AI Engines
Google Gemini
Apple Intelligence
View Wellness
Mattresses
View Mattresses
Mattress Best Picks
Mattress Deals
Mattress Face-Offs
Mattress How-Tos
Mattress News
Mattress Reviews
Mattress Care
Mattress Toppers
Pillows & Bedding
View Fitness
Smartwatches
Fitness Trackers
Smart Rings
Apple Watch
Home Insights
Home Best Picks
Home Face-Offs
Home How-Tos
Home Reviews
Home Topics
Home Appliances
Home Office
Home Security
View Outdoors
Home Brands
Popular Brands
Exclusive Apple Interview
iPhone 17 Pro
Wordle Today
Best laptops
Best Mattress
Don’t miss these
iPhone Air announced — thinnest iPhone ever, specs, features, size, colors and all the upgrades
The iPhone 17 Air may be great — but I’m not sure if Apple’s customers really want it
iPhone 17 Air vs Galaxy S25 Edge — How Apple Can Blow Away Samsung
The iPhone Air is Apple’s ‘boldest design move since the iPhone X’ — and it’s a huge step toward an iPhone Fold
I’m skeptical about the iPhone 17 Air — 5 ways Apple can convince me it’s actually worth it
iPhone 17 Air tipped to make 3 big compromises vs iPhone 17 Pro — here’s what you’re giving up
I tried to break the iPhone Air during an interview with Apple execs — and then I asked about a possible iPhone Fold
iPhone Air vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Which thin phone is best?
iPhone 17 Air — here’s what Apple could learn from Samsung’s thin phone releases
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro: 5 biggest trade-offs to expect
Augmented Reality
The iPhone Air already has one major flaw — and AR glasses users won’t be happy
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 7 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
The iPhone 17 Air can blow Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge out of the water — here’s how
I’ve Tested Every iPhone — Here’s Why I’m Really Excited for the iPhone 17 Air
iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs Pro Max: Which new iPhone should you buy?
iPhone Air has arrived: 3 things I like (and 3 things I don’t)
Josh Render
15 September 2025
It’s thin, but there’s some trade-offs
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
In the past, I’ve found that iPhones have a tendency to all look the same, but Apple’s surprised me with the iPhone 17 series, especially the new iPhone Air.
For those that aren’t aware, the iPhone Air is the new thin version of the iPhone that appears to be replacing the less popular iPhone Plus version. While there were a lot of rumors about what this new phone would bring, I don’t think any of us quite expected what Apple eventually unveiled. alongside the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro devices.
I was expecting a lot of tradeoffs when it came to a thinner iPhone, but Apple has created a phone that is not only thinner than the other phones but could nearly match them in power. The phone comes with the same A19 Pro chip as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the new Fusion and center stage selfie cameras and more.
You may like
iPhone Air announced — thinnest iPhone ever, specs, features, size, colors and all the upgrades
The iPhone 17 Air may be great — but I’m not sure if Apple’s customers really want it
iPhone 17 Air vs Galaxy S25 Edge — How Apple Can Blow Away Samsung
With all that’s great about the phone, I have to be honest, I have some concerns about the overall design. So, let’s break down what works for me, and what doesn’t, when it comes to the iPhone Air.
What I like about the iPhone Air
iPhone Air HANDS ON! – YouTube
The first thing that I have to note is the 6.5-inch display, which looks fantastic and helps to differentiate the Air from the 6.3-inch iPhone 17, beyond just being thinner. The display looks bright and colorful, with the same thin bezels seen on the other models. It also comes with the ProMotion display and can reportedly hit a peak of 120Hz and a minimum of 1Hz when using the always-on display.
I’m also really impressed with the battery life, with Apple claiming the iPhone Air can manage up to 27 hours of video playback. In the interest of fairness, this doesn’t quite match the other models, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max promising 39 hours of video playback and the iPhone 17 offering 30 hours. Still, it looks promising, and if you want more, you could invest in the MagSafe battery case to increase the iPhone Air’s battery life to forty hours of video playback.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Finally, of course, there’s the thickness of the phone, which is frankly outstanding. The iPhone Air measures 5.6mm, which is thinner than the 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge. Usually, I’d be worried about durability, but the phone is remarkably resistant to bending. Add to that the addition of Apple’s Ceramic Glass 2, and you’re looking at a phone that could stand up to a fair amount of abuse.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
However, that same thickness, and what was done to achieve it, is also my biggest issue with the phone.
What I don’t like about the iPhone Air
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Here’s the problem: yes, the iPhone Air is very thin, mostly. However, in my eyes, this is nearly ruined by the camera “plateau.” At a glance, it looks like this section of the case almost doubles the thickness at the top. This is an issue because it not only could unbalance the phone, but it also mars the outline and feel when you have it in your pocket.
This plateau does more than just house the camera, as it also contains the speaker, camera and Apple silicon. In concept, this makes sense as it allowed Apple to add a bigger battery to the phone, but doing so comes with its own risks.
You may like
iPhone Air announced — thinnest iPhone ever, specs, features, size, colors and all the upgrades
The iPhone 17 Air may be great — but I’m not sure if Apple’s customers really want it
iPhone 17 Air vs Galaxy S25 Edge — How Apple Can Blow Away Samsung
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Additionally, because the camera plateau sticks out, it becomes the most vulnerable part of the phone to any damage. Considering how durable Apple says Ceramic Shield 2 is, this might not be a big issue, but it does nothing to address my concern about temperature.
The problem is that Apple has placed some of the iPhone Air silicone into the plateau, and that is also the hardware that generates the most heat in a phone. This is a problem for two reasons: firstly, the iPhone Air doesn’t have the vapor chamber seen in the iPhone 17 Pro series. Secondly, one of the big issues with ultra-thin designs is that they have a tendency to limit heat dissipation. As such, I worry that we might see iPhone Air models suffering from heat-based issues as time goes on.
The other notable trade-off is that the iPhone Air has a single rear camera. Yes, the 48MP main shooter looks great, but you don’t get an ultrawide lens. And that also means no macro shots. And without a telephoto lens, you’re limited to 2x “optical quality zoom.”
iPhone Air outlook
Tom’s Guide’s Mark Spoonauer tried to bend the iPhone Air (Image credit: Future)
All in all, I want to love the iPhone Air, and there’s a lot to like, but I think it might be sensible to hold off on grabbing one for now. The fact is that we’ll have to wait and see how it performs in our iPhone Air review, as well as see what customers are saying about the phone and how it’s holding up in the coming months.
Even then, it’s refreshing to see Apple trying to innovate, and if there are some trade-offs along the way, then maybe that’s the price we need to pay. Let me know what you think. Do you love the new design, or are you going to wait for the first users to report what the phone is like before you decide to upgrade?
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
More from Tom’s Guide
iPhone 17 has a display upgrade that tops the Pixel 10 Pro and could save you a headache
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leak just revealed bad news for the camera
iPhone 17 will ship with a new memory feature designed to fight spyware — here’s how it works
Check Amazon
Josh Render
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer
Josh is a staff writer for Tom’s Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
iPhone Air announced — thinnest iPhone ever, specs, features, size, colors and all the upgrades
The iPhone 17 Air may be great — but I’m not sure if Apple’s customers really want it
iPhone 17 Air vs Galaxy S25 Edge — How Apple Can Blow Away Samsung
The iPhone Air is Apple’s ‘boldest design move since the iPhone X’ — and it’s a huge step toward an iPhone Fold
I’m skeptical about the iPhone 17 Air — 5 ways Apple can convince me it’s actually worth it
iPhone 17 Air tipped to make 3 big compromises vs iPhone 17 Pro — here’s what you’re giving up
Latest in iPhones
iOS 26 arrives on Monday — here are the 5 things you need to do to prepare
Not a typo! Score a free iPhone 17 Pro in this epic T-Mobile deal
I tried out iPhone 17 Dual Capture — here’s what it can and can’t do
Apple stops selling 30W chargers but you can buy these instead
One new iPhone model is most popular with Tom’s Guide readers — and it’s not even close
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 7 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
Latest in Opinion
I review mechanical keyboards for a living and this is what I think of Reddit’s top picks
Enough is enough — it’s time for Samsung to put Dolby Vision on its TVs
Apple could make Wi-Fi “just work” with a new take on AirPort — and the iPhone Air’s wireless chips might be the key
Here are the 7 Emmy-nominated shows you need to stream right now
iPhone Air has arrived: 3 things I like (and 3 things I don’t)
Windows 10 is almost dead — here’s my top 5 Windows 11 picks to get before the deadline
LATEST ARTICLES
Snap OS is finally ready for Snap Specs in 2026 — I just tested the game-changing update
Emmys 2025 LIVE — ‘Severance,’ ‘The Pitt,’ ‘The Studio’ and all of the Emmy winners
Prime Video top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
Samsung issues security warning for most Galaxy users to update their phones now — what you need to know
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which flagship will win?
Tom’s Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Terms and conditions
Contact Future’s experts
Privacy policy
Cookies policy
Accessibility Statement
Advertise with us
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street,
Please login or signup to comment
Please wait…
