All-New Ultra-Thin iPhone Air Doesn’t Totally Skimp on Photography

Sep 09, 2025

Kate Garibaldi

A thin smartphone is shown from the side, flanked by stylized letters “A” and “R,” highlighting its slim profile against a white background.

Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone Air, the newest member of its flagship smartphone lineup, which also includes the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. Positioned between the standard and Pro models, the Air emphasizes thinness, portability, and design innovation while still carrying many of Apple’s latest performance and camera technologies.

At just 0.22 inches (5.6 millimeters) thin, the iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever made. It features a 6.5-inch (16.5-centimeter) ProMotion OLED display and is constructed from 80% recycled titanium, which Apple says makes it more durable than any previous iPhone. The phone is reinforced with Ceramic Shield on both the front and back, improving crack resistance by up to four times. Despite its slim design, Apple stresses that the Air retains the strength and resilience expected from a premium device. The handset will be available in four finishes: black, white, gold, and blue.

Four modern smartphones in light blue, silver, gold, and black colors are standing upright in a row, displaying their backs and one front screen, all featuring the Apple logo.

Power and Performance

The Air is powered by the A19 Pro chipset, which Apple calls the fastest CPU ever in an iPhone. The processor features a six-core CPU and a five-core GPU with Apple’s second-generation Dynamic Caching architecture. According to Apple, the new GPU offers three times the peak compute performance of the A18 Pro. The chip also integrates advanced neural accelerators for AI workloads, with Apple claiming “MacBook-level compute” in a smartphone form factor.

Connectivity has also been upgraded. The Air includes the new N1 wireless chip, supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Apple’s redesigned C1X modem is said to be twice as fast as the previous C1 while using 30 percent less energy. Together, these updates contribute to what Apple describes as the most power-efficient iPhone ever made.

Close-up of a smartphone camera lens with specs listed: 48MP Fusion Main camera (26 mm, f/1.6, 2 µm quad pixel, 100% Focus Pixels, OIS) and 12MP 2x Telephoto (52 mm, f/1.6, 1 µm, 100% Focus Pixels, OIS).

Camera System for Creators

Photography is a key focus of the iPhone Air. It debuts a 48-megapixel Fusion camera system that uses a single sensor but offers four framing options through custom lenses. The system can approximate a 2× telephoto zoom at 12 MP and includes advanced computational processing to optimize detail and low-light performance.

The front camera integrates Center Stage technology, which keeps users in frame during video calls, and Apple has added dual capture video, enabling recording from the front and rear cameras simultaneously. For creators, this feature allows new storytelling possibilities without needing external equipment.

Two women stand side by side in sunlight; one wears a cream blazer with short bantu knots, the other wears a sheer light blue high-neck top with slicked-back hair. A concrete wall and water are in the background.

A woman in an elegant cream-colored outfit sits on a wooden chair in a grand, ornately decorated room with patterned walls and terracotta floor tiles, lit by soft, natural light through a nearby window.

A person with voluminous curly red hair stands against a stone wall, looking thoughtfully to the side. Sunlight highlights their hair and face, casting a warm glow.

A person in black clothing stands on a sandy beach beneath a large, blue parachute canopy billowing above and behind them against a clear sky.

Rocky cliff with geometric formations in the foreground, overlooking a vast green mountain landscape under a clear blue sky with a low layer of clouds in the distance, bathed in golden sunlight.

A stack of waffles topped with fresh berries, including strawberries, blackberries, and cherries, sits on a plate on a wooden table with a blurred outdoor background.

Battery and Efficiency

Despite its slim profile, the iPhone Air promises all-day battery life thanks to adaptive power management and the efficiency of its new silicon. The phone also supports Apple’s latest MagSafe battery attachment, which can extend playback to 40 hours of continuous video. Combined with the Air’s lighter and thinner build, this makes it one of the most portable high-end smartphones Apple has ever offered.

Comparison to the Rest of the iPhone 17 Lineup

The Air shares many core technologies with the broader iPhone 17 family but distinguishes itself through design. Compared to the standard iPhone 17, it offers a thinner chassis and more premium materials, while falling short of the Pro models, which retain multi-lens camera systems and slightly higher graphical performance. For many users, the Air represents a balance between style and substance: a flagship device with Apple’s newest chip and advanced camera software, but without the full professional hardware suite of the Pro.

A screenshot of a cell phone.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone Air starts at $1,099 (approx. €1,025 / £880) for the 256 GB version, with higher-capacity models reaching up to $1,499 (approx. €1,395 / £1,200). The standard iPhone 17 begins at $799, while the Pro and Pro Max carry higher price tags depending on storage. Pre-orders for the iPhone Air open on September 12, with retail availability beginning on September 19 in global markets.

Image credits: Apple