Apple simply debuted its newest iPhones, and alongside the standard trio – the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Professional, and iPhone 17 Professional Max – we met a brand new member of the household: the iPhone Air.
If our TikTok feedback are something to go by, individuals hate it.
There are some who query the aim of the cellphone, asking: “Who cares if the cellphone is skinny?” Others level out the way it appears to resolve an issue that doesn’t exist, saying “By no means have I ever checked out my cellphone and thought ‘hmm, I want it was thinner’”
I’ll speak about why the iPhone Air is a let down in a second, however earlier than that I need to defend skinny telephones – even when they aren’t for me.
There are some wonderful causes for this design selection that profit each the machine we have now at the moment and the gadgets we may have sooner or later.
Beginning within the now, the most important constructive I’ve heard of skinny telephones got here from our senior social media editor Viktoria Shilets, after utilizing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for per week: “It feels prefer it’s designed for ladies.” And he or she’s not the one particular person I’ve heard make that remark.
Not within the typical keep-it-the-same-but-color-it-pink-and-charge-more sense, however as a result of the slim design is simpler to carry in smaller palms and higher fitted to slipping right into a small pocket.
I can’t communicate for this skinny cellphone expertise first-hand. Apple nor Samsung have publicly claimed their skinny cellphone is made particularly for ladies, however both deliberately or not the anecdotal proof I’ve suggests the Air and Edge tick lots of the correct containers design-wise.
I haven’t had an opportunity to talk along with her for the reason that iPhone Air debut, however I keep in mind how enamored Viktoria was with the Galaxy S25 Edge, and he or she was nearly satisfied to ditch her longtime iPhone Professional companion – I would not be stunned if the iPhone Air is the answer she’s been ready for.
Transferring into the long run, skinny cellphone tech is crucial for 2 rising classes of smartphone: foldables and dumb telephones.
Samsung’s Z Fold 7 used design cues developed by the Galaxy S25 Edge to noticeably slim itself down in comparison with the Z Fold 6. When closed, the Fold 7 is mainly indistinguishable from an everyday cellphone – as a consumer of each the Fold 6 and now Fold 7 I can verify the trimmed down mannequin is far simpler to deal with.
As for dumb telephones, this development of less-smart smartphones is choosing up steam amongst customers who desire a option to talk with of us remotely however not the supercharged distractions and AI mess that sensible telephones supply.
They’re of specific curiosity for fogeys to get for his or her youngsters – so a slimmed down but sturdy cellphone can be a greater design selection for youngsters in comparison with one thing bulkier.
Now Apple makes neither of those but, however there have lengthy been rumors that an iPhone Fold is on the way in which, and as curiosity in dumb telephones appears to be steadily increasing I wouldn’t be shocked if Apple got here up with dumb cellphone of its personal.
In each instances Apple may use the teachings discovered by means of the iPhone Air and make its variations these gadgets a greater design success.
Now this isn’t a complete defence of the iPhone Air – there are some simple absurdities to it.
Whereas it does boast the iPhone 17 Professional’s chipset, a bigger 6.5-inch show, and a few further ceramic shielding in comparison with the bottom mannequin, it’s worse than its sibling in arguably probably the most important methods for many cellphone customers – shorter battery life and solely a single digital camera on the again.
This could possibly be excusable primarily based on the cellphone’s value, however the iPhone Air is pricier than the iPhone 17.
Amongst our social media feedback, it’s simple to seek out individuals sharing sentiments like “If it was $200 cheaper than regular iPhone then may make sense.”
That is Apple’s first go on the skinny cellphone development, and I’m not eager to evaluate the machine too harshly earlier than we check it out for a full evaluation.
However once you examine the Air to Samsung’s S25 Edge, and the way each fashions examine to their base fashions (the iPhone 17 and Galaxy S25) on paper it does appear like Apple is giving us a uncooked deal.
Hopefully that’ll change with future iterations of the Air, as I believe the skinny cellphone area could possibly be extra attention-grabbing than persons are at present giving it credit score.
