I WAS one of the first people in the world to have a go with the new iPhone Air.
Details about the ‘thinnest ever’ Apple mobile had leaked before this week’s launch event and I was expecting to think it was a bit pointless. But actually, it’s quite brilliant.
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I had a chance to go hands-on with the ultra-svelte smartphone at Apple Park in California this week.
Apple showed off four new mobiles including the iPhone 17, plus three upgraded Apple Watch models and a fresh pair of AirPods.
But the iPhone Air – with its shockingly skinny 5.6mm side profile – stole the show.
It’s what everyone is talking about. Just trying to get a hold of it at the Apple event felt like entering a warzone.
Once I managed to squeeze past an army of influencers and the world’s tech press, I got a good 10 minutes with the new model.
Here’s what I was worried about.
Firstly, I’m quite used to giant phones. I usually use the Pro Max models, and they fit in my pocket just fine.
Secondly, when you make a phone very thin, you usually have to make some compromises.
It often means sticking a rubbish camera on the back, or slashing battery life, or both.
Apple has managed to produce what is an extremely pocketable mobile with seemingly very few compromises.
The screen is a fairly giant 6.6 inches, making it bigger than the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
It’s also very lightweight at 165 grams.
By comparison, my iPhone 16 Pro Max is 227 grams. The difference is night and day.
The iPhone Air felt feathery in my hand, even though it’s built from weighty (and tough) titanium.
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It’s also nice to hold because of the slim frame.
Apple has crammed most of the core components into the camera bump, leaving the rest of the phone’s body free for battery.
It’s impressive engineering and looks great.
On top of that, my early fears about camera and battery life might come to nothing at all.
WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED?
Here are all the new gadgets from today’s Apple event…
- iPhone 17
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Apple Watch Series 11
- Apple Watch Ultra 3
- Apple Watch SE
- Apple AirPods 3
Apple says you’ll get a very healthy 27 hours of video playback per charge from the iPhone Air.
I think as long as it gets you through a day comfortably, it’s perfectly fine.
Of course I won’t know for sure until I test it out, but Apple has made a promising…promise.
The camera also looks quite clever.
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I had a quick (and successful) demo in the Steve Jobs Theater, but it’s a beautiful and brightly lit room, so that doesn’t tell me much.
But on paper, the camera sounds decent enough.
You’ve got a 48-megapixel Fusion camera system that allows for multiple focal lengths, plus a telephoto-style system that delivers 2x zoom to what Apple calls “optical quality”.
And it can even capture video in 4K Dolby Vision at 60 frames per second.
The phone packs in Apple’s brand new and very powerful A19 Pro.
And at £999/$999, it’s cheaper than both of Apple’s top-end models – the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – by £100/$100 and £200/$200 respectively.
It’s one of the most striking iPhone models we’ve seen in years, and I’m excited to test it.
Air we go…
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