iPhone Air Review: This is the MacBook Air of iPhones. Period. 

It is a stylish phone too. Its metallic sides and ceramic-like back fold into the prominent camera plateau, which also houses the processor. It is this plateau that Apple leverages to make the phone so thin, as the real estate below it is used for housing the battery. There is no physical SIM here; the other adjustment that has facilitated the thin design. This also makes the iPhone Air the first eSIM-only phone from Apple.

The bold camera plateau doubles as a design statement and a smart internal layout decision, making room for a larger battery in an ultra-thin frame. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

The 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR is as good as in the Pro models and is protected by Ceramic Shield 2. This is also a bit larger than the iPhone 17 screen and will be one more reason that gives it an edge.

Another aspect struck me about the design. This will also be the one question most people considering the phone will ask themselves: Why does this phone have only one camera? Well, this has a processor better than the iPhone, but is still one camera short. I guess the second camera was dropped to make space for the more important parts of a phone. But then value-conscious buyers will find this a tough call — whether to opt for a more powerful phone, or one that offers more options in terms of camera.

The iPhone Air’s Super Retina XDR display shines bright, offering the same vibrant clarity as Pro models, now in a sleeker form factor. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Will the iPhone Air bend, or break?

The other big question is how durable a phone this thin is. Let me tell you, if someone puts their mind to it, anything can be broken. But the fact is that Apple has put in a lot of work into this aspect of the phone, and with some of the demos, I am convinced it is hard to bend or break this phone with normal usage, like if you accidentally sit on it. In fact, I put some pressure to see if I could bend the phone. It does take a curve and comes back to its original design. This will be one of the biggest advantages of the phone, against other ultra-thin competitors.

I have used the iPhone Air for a week, always asking myself who the ideal customer for this phone is. But during the week, I also realised that a lot of iPhone users are fascinated by the thin design coupled with the fact that this has the best silicon Apple can offer. In fact, I was more surprised when a couple of Pro users proclaimed this would be their next upgrade, also because for them the three-camera setup is an overkill in many ways. So now I think a lot of users who want a very powerful and dependable phone, but don’t use the camera too seriously, will veer towards this phone when they upgrade… maybe sooner.

With the A19 Pro chip and comfortable grip, the iPhone Air holds its own as a powerful and portable gaming device. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

The fact is that the A19 Pro chip makes this a very powerful phone, capable of doing anything a smartphone can and is also expected to do in the future, like running bespoke LLMs locally. Apple Intelligence also works primarily on devices, and this is a very capable device if you want to run live translations via your new AirPods Pro, which again will do it on the phone and not go online. Interestingly, I also felt this was a good gaming device because of its processing power, plus the design that makes the phone very easy to grip. And, yes, the phone stays cool even when you are pushing the envelope.

Is the iPhone Air camera a compromise?

When we come to the camera, there are some positives. The iPhone Air has a 48MP rear camera with 2x optical zoom. While in the 1X mode, you can change the lens to 35 or 26mm, depending on the frame. You can also zoom in to 10x digitally, and these images are decent. But if you are someone upgrading from a multi-camera setup, you could find the lack of more zoom and ultra-wide a bit frustrating. The fact is that whatever camera you get is iPhone quality and, in a way, an upgraded 2025 version of what the iPhone camera used to be. I was impressed with the photos I clicked, though for a user like me, this camera is limiting.

The iPhone Air captures crisp colours and motion with minimal distortion. The flag here stands out, even against a dramatic sky. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Rich tones and accurate focus make the iPhone Air ideal for still-life shots. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

iPhone Air works magic with natural light showcasing vibrant greens and sharp edges. The detail is impressive, though macro limitations. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Converted to monochrome, the iPhone Air’s image still preserves impressive texture and depth, a nod to its high-quality 48MP sensor. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Ceramic owls – wider perspective: In natural indoor lighting, the iPhone Air handles textures and shadows beautifully – the single lens is no slouch. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Ceramic owls – close up:The iPhone Air’s camera delivers sharp foreground detail with creamy background blur, even without a dedicated depth sensor.(Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

One aspect where the new iPhones have really done well is with the 18MP front camera with CentreStage, which means you can now capture a wide-angle selfie without changing the orientation of the phone. This works very well and will endear the iPhones to the selfie-obsessed.

To many users, a thin phone might indicate a smaller battery, and this is why Apple has really worked on the internal designs to make space for a battery that gives all-day juice. In Indian conditions, with the phone trying to latch on to the best network, this could be a bit tougher than it is in other parts of the world. With regular use, the phone will show you a 20% battery balance when you reach home after work. If you are someone on the move and need more battery, then you could invest in Apple’s MagSafe battery pack that sticks to the back of the Air and charges it, but at an additional cost of Rs 12,000. This one is made exclusively for the iPhone Air and does not work with other models. I think other Apple partners will soon offer more affordable versions of the same, and it might make sense to hold on for now.

The iPhone Air with Apple’s exclusive MagSafe battery pack, a sleek solution for extra juice on the go, though it comes at a premium. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

The new iPhone Air runs iOS 26 out of the box. While I like the design aesthetics of the new OS, its animation and 3D feel, there are times it struggles to be practical. In some windows, the text, lacking background, means it is hard to read; in others, you are fighting your muscle memory of over a decade as an iPhone user. But this is not a dealbreaker in any way, and you will get used to it in a few days.

Who should buy the iPhone Air?

At Rs 1,19,900, I look at the iPhone Air as the MacBook Air equivalent in the iPhone lineup — a very powerful device that brings in style and convenience, and shaves off features that cater to those with unique requirements. The fact is that a lot of smartphone users will be more than happy with this device, which now replaces the iPhone Plus size, too. Buy if you want more power, more screen, more style, and can live with less camera.