I always buy an iPhone Pro, but this year I opted for iPhone Air instead, and three words from Apple’s presentation—“power of Pro”—sum up why.iPhone Air is ultra-thin but has the “power of Pro” I’ve been excited about the iPhone Air since the first rumors emerged last year.Based on early reporting, I quickly proclaimed: “Air won’t be the best iPhone, but it will be the future.” I knew there would be battery and camera drawbacks.
But I always expected the iPhone Air’s battery would be “good enough,” and that seems true.Losing cameras hurts, but it turns out I almost always stick with the Main camera anyways.As we got closer to the unveiling, there was one more significant factor that had me on the fence: would the Air truly be a futuristic-type premium product, or would it be a highly compromised experiment? Apple’s other Air products—iPad Air and MacBook Air—definitely aren’t futuristic or premium.
I wouldn’t call them experiments either though.Rather, those Air products are more about offering great value.If the iPhone Air was Apple’s new “great value” model, I wouldn’t be interested.
But as a premium device with the “power of Pro,” as Apple said, it’s exactly what I want.Air feels like what the iPhone Pro line used to be For the last few years, iPhone design changes have been minimal.The prospect of something brand new, which rumors indicated the Air would be, was very exciting for me.
But as someone who always buys iPhone Pro models, I needed the Air to offer the same kind of premium feel that initially drew me to the Pro.I’m a longtime Apple user who enjoys using the company’s best products, even though they typically cost more than entry models.Recently though, I’ve started questioning whether the iPhone Pro was really meant for me.
Over the last year especially, Apple has been pushing the iPhone 16 Pro and 17 Pro forward in ways that seem even more geared toward “professionals” and/or “creators.” As nice as the 17 Pro cameras are, most of the advanced camera features are things I never use.In the early days of the iPhone’s Pro line, the ‘Pro’ models felt less “professional” and more “prosumer.” Feature differentiators over base models often included nicer displays, more premium design materials, and performance and battery gains.These days, the ‘Pro’ features I care most about have come to other models too, including and especially the iPhone Air.
ProMotion, the A19 Pro chip, and the beautiful titanium finish all make iPhone Air feel like a Pro model of years past.iPhone 17 Pro, meanwhile, is carving out its own unique identity as great for creators, or just anyone who wants the most battery or biggest screen.Choosing iPhone Air: wrap-up I haven’t used an iPhone Air yet, so it’s always possible the product’s shortcomings will prove too great a sacrifice over time.
Maybe I’ll end up switching back to a Pro model.But from all the hands-ons and first impressions I’ve seen, I don’t think that’s going to happen.iPhone Air delivers the fresh, futuristic design I’ve been waiting for, paired with Pro-like performance and the Pro features I want most.
I can’t remember the last time I was so excited for a new iPhone.Are you switching from a Pro model to the iPhone Air? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessories AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199, down from $249) MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone HomeKit smart plug 4-pack 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack 100W USB-C fast charging power adapter You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
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