iPhone 17 Air: As Apple has officially launched its new iPhone 17 lineup, the iPhone Air is the one turning heads. It is the slimmest iPhone to date, with just 5.6mm thickness. The specifications and build look quite solid; however, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says otherwise. Gurman says it may not be the best pick for everyone, and also compared it to the launch of the first MacBook Air in 2008: slim, stylish, but with compromises in power and battery life.
What’s New About The iPhone Air?
The iPhone 17 Air is Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm and features a titanium Grade 5 frame with a high-gloss finish and plateaued back for cameras and components.
Both front and back are covered with Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3 times better scratch resistance and 4 times better crack resistance, making it extremely durable.
The phone has a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On display, peak brightness of 3,000 nits, and adaptive refresh down to 1Hz for smoother visuals.
The rear camera is a 48MP Fusion main camera with 2x optical telephoto, along with improved low-light performance, macro photography, and Photographic Styles, including the new Bright style.
The front camera is an 18MP Centre Stage sensor with Dual Capture, ultra-stable 4K HDR video, and AI framing.
Video supports 4K 60fps Dolby Vision, Action mode, Spatial Audio, Audio Mix, and wind noise reduction.
Powered by the A19 Pro chip, it includes N1 wireless and C1X cellular chips, with a 3,149 mAh battery, storage options of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, and comes in Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, and Sky Blue.
Why Gurman Says It May Not Be For Everyone
Even with these upgrades, Gurman warns that the iPhone Air’s thin design comes with trade-offs.
While it’s lighter and more elegant, it may still have a smaller battery than the standard iPhone 17, and the titanium frame could change the feel for heavy daily use.
The regular iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro still offer more overall value in terms of battery, performance, and camera versatility.
In short, the Air is a statement of design and engineering, but for most buyers, the iPhone 17 or 17 Pro may be a smarter choice this year, as Gurman points out.
