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The iPhone “Pro” label has always represented the bleeding edge of Apple’s industrial design. This year, I’m second-guessing if that philosophy still holds true in Cupertino.
Going into Apple’s Awe-dropping event earlier this month, my attention was reserved for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, both of which were expected to feature a new vapor chamber cooling system — resolving a longstanding issue of overheating on Pro models — as well as a redesigned camera plateau. Those rumors turned out to be true, but I still left the September keynote feeling underwhelmed.
Also: I compared the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max: Here’s who should upgrade
Instead, the glitz and glamor came with the iPhone Air, introduced with a theatrical flair, balanced on a single finger at the Steve Jobs Theater to a chorus of “oohs and ahhs.” Notably, Apple is branding the iPhone Air as a first-generation product; it’s not the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17S. Even then, the device offers the “power of Pro,” a phrase that we’re not talking about enough.
A Pro phone without the branding
There’s a bit of weight that’s lifted when an iPhone doesn’t have the Pro moniker; you expect it to have shortcomings, fewer features, and just a serviceable experience. That sets the iPhone Air up for room to impress, with it being powered by the same A19 Pro chip that revs up the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, as well as the same 18MP Center Stage front camera that can adaptively capture subjects as they appear on screen.
It also makes the lack of a dedicated ultrawide and telephoto lens more forgiving. When you’re building against physics, a singular sensor with an optical zoom may be the best, and only, option right now. Fortunately for Apple, its image tuning and computational tweaks have mostly been well accepted by its users. I didn’t have much of an issue testing that on the iPhone 16 last year.
Also: iPhone Air vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I compared the two flagship models, and here’s the winner
When you chase this feature set with a design as striking and disruptive as the iPhone Air, and a price that sits squarely in the middle, you have a handset that should appeal to most people. What I expect to ultimately tip the scales in the Air’s favor will be the in-store experience, when curious shoppers pick up the device and feel an absence of thickness and bulk.
Like its Android rival, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, the iPhone Air is a device you must see in person to grasp its significance. And when you do, switching between the Air and Pro Max will only amplify the latter model’s heft.
Even if holding it doesn’t answer the question of why an ultralight and thin phone exists, you’ll be glad it does now, because the implications — whether it’s future Pro or foldable models that are just as nimble — are remarkable.
The big question mark
That’s to say, I preordered the iPhone Air instead of the Pro model this year, and I’m ready to see how the benefits and trade-offs compare. Will the lighter build make the inevitably short battery life easier to ignore? Will the mono audio channel speaker sound worse than on paper? Is the iPhone Air worth it at $999, or should you just pay up for the Pro?
I plan on answering all of those questions in my full review. Until then, what are your thoughts on the iPhone Air? Sound off in the comments below.