At the “Awe Dropping” launch event, Apple spent less time praising the ultra-thin design of the iPhone Air and more time reassuring users that its design compromises wouldn't affect the user experience.

The iPhone Air is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet, at just 5.6mm thick. However, the company’s focus during the event wasn’t to emphasize the benefits of this svelte form but rather to calm fears about the consequences of the ultra-thin build.

This controversial move trades off three key areas for aesthetic appeal. Fortunately, Apple has crafted technological “antidotes” to counter these compromises.

Weakness 1: Durability

The first concern that comes to mind is “Bendgate” from 2014, when the 7.1mm-thick iPhone 6 Plus infamously bent in users’ pockets. Now at just 5.6mm, the iPhone Air has stirred similar concerns.

Apple responded quickly. The iPhone Air features an aerospace-grade titanium frame that surpasses Apple’s own strict durability standards. The front is protected with Ceramic Shield 2, while the back uses the first-generation Ceramic Shield.

Apple claims this delivers three times the scratch resistance and four times the crack resistance compared to the previous generation, making it the most durable iPhone ever made - and it needs to be.

Weakness 2: Battery life

A 28% thinner phone means less room for a battery - a top concern for many users.

Apple explained that by optimizing software and using an internal design where speakers and the processing chip are merged into the rear camera module, it gained more space for the battery.

However, the key improvement lies in reduced power consumption. The iPhone Air is powered by three new chips: the A19 Pro with four energy-efficient cores; the C1X 5G modem, which consumes 30% less power than its predecessor; and the N1 wireless chip, which optimizes connectivity.

Apple touts this as “the most energy-efficient iPhone ever.” It also debuts iOS 26’s Adaptive Power Mode, which learns user habits and activates power-saving features when needed.

As a result, the iPhone Air offers 27 hours of video playback. That’s less than the iPhone 17 (30 hours), 17 Pro (33 hours), and 17 Pro Max (39 hours), but beats the iPhone 16 (22 hours) and matches the 16 Pro and 16 Plus.

If that’s still not enough, Apple offers a MagSafe Battery accessory for $99 - exclusively compatible with the iPhone Air.

Weakness 3: Camera system

Perhaps the biggest shock is the rear camera setup. The iPhone Air includes only one rear lens - unusual since Apple introduced dual cameras with the iPhone XS (2018) and triple-lens systems on the iPhone 11 Pro (2019).

With smartphones replacing traditional digital cameras, this cutback feels like a step backward.

Apple spun the narrative, advertising it not as a single-lens system, but a “2-in-1” solution comprising a 48MP Fusion main camera and a 12MP 2x telephoto.

However, this is largely marketing. Like the iPhone 16e, the telephoto mode is simply a cropped image from the 48MP sensor, not a dedicated lens.

Thus, the iPhone Air only supports 2x zoom. Even the cheaper iPhone 16 offers an ultra-wide lens for 0.5x photography.

It also lacks macro photography and spatial photography features found in the iPhone 16.

In short, the iPhone Air’s photo capabilities are clearly scaled back. Still, iPhone camera quality has long exceeded everyday needs. Even the less capable iPhone 16e performs well in most scenarios.

The one bright spot is the front camera. The iPhone Air upgrades to an 18MP selfie camera (up from 12MP in the iPhone 16 series), with Center Stage support - previously limited to iPads - for automatic face tracking during video calls.

Thanks to its larger square sensor, users can take vertical selfies that the phone can automatically frame horizontally when needed. The front camera also records ultra-stable 4K HDR video.

A necessary risk for Apple

Paradoxically, the iPhone Air is the kind of risky product Apple needs right now. The company has long been criticized for playing it safe with incremental updates.

With the iPhone Air, Apple sacrifices certain strengths in exchange for delivering something truly different - and that deserves recognition.

Still, Apple didn’t convincingly explain why the extreme thinness of 5.6mm was necessary.

Aside from poetic phrases like “it feels like holding the future,” Apple offered no solid reason why users need a phone this thin. After all, for over a decade, phones around 7mm thick have been just fine.

Is anyone really struggling to fit an iPhone 16 into skinny jeans? Is the iPhone 16e too heavy? Do we truly need a thinner phone? These are the questions Apple has yet to answer convincingly.

Nonetheless, the iPhone Air is undeniably beautiful. Its glossy finish, elegant colors (though less daring than the “sage” green of the iPhone 17), and larger 6.5-inch screen compared to the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display make it stand out.

It also inherits ProMotion technology and the always-on display from the Pro line. The A19 Pro chip may be overkill for current apps, but ensures the device is future-proof.

The iPhone Air is a controversial but worthwhile experience. Right now, the 5.6mm thickness might not seem essential. But history shows that once users adapt to a new standard, there’s no turning back.

By the time the iPhone 18 launches, devices thicker than the Air might already feel outdated.

Hai Phong