Apple’s September 9, 2025 “Awe Dropping” event unveiled the new iPhone Air (sometimes called the iPhone 17 Air), which the company markets as “the thinnest iPhone ever made”. The Air combines a breakthrough titanium design with high-end hardware.
Apple describes it as offering “pro performance in a thin and light design,” packing a large 6.5‑inch 120Hz display, the latest A19 Pro/N1/C1X chipset trio, and an advanced 48 MP Fusion camera system into a slimmer body. It runs iOS 26 with new AI-powered features and promises all-day battery life.
The new iPhone Air will go on sale starting September 19, with pre-orders from September 12. Below we break down its major features and specifications.
Design and Build
The iPhone Air is so thin, it is only 5.6 mm thick, and is the lightest iPhone Apple has ever made, at 165 g. The frame consists of polished grade 5 titanium, which provides the frame with a high-gloss mirror finish that makes it elegant and powerful at the same time. The camera and speaker are installed in a precision-milled rear plateau, which leaves inner space to a bigger battery.
The front and back cover are made of the same Ceramic Shield 2 glass (with an enhanced coating) used by Apple to make the products tougher – Apple states this is 3 times more resistant to scratches and significantly more durable in drops and cracks.
The phone is available in four different finishes (space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue) in which the titanium edges surrounding the phone are polished just like the Air.
Display
The iPhone Air has a 6.5 -inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, which supports ProMotion (up to 120 Hz adaptive). It has an Always-On (reducing to 1 Hz when not in use) and is capable of a maximum of 3000 nits of peak brightness when used outside- the highest the iPhone has ever had.
The panel can provide 2 times the outdoor contrast compared to the previous models thus the content is clear and can be read even under bright sunlight. On the whole, the high-resolution large-screen display is highly fluid in graphics and video, whereas a better anti-reflection coating on Ceramic Shield 2 minimizes glare when viewing outdoors.
Camera System
Apple equipped the new iPhone Air with a new 48 MP Fusion Main camera on the back, which uses a quad-pixel sensor and intelligent processing to mimic multiple focal lengths in one lens. This single “Fusion” camera effectively provides the equivalent of 28 mm and 35 mm wide angles, plus an optical-quality 2× telephoto mode – all using the same lens array.
The 2× telephoto camera features an updated Photonic Engine, which uses on-device machine learning to capture extra detail and more lifelike colors at longer range. Apple also added new computational features: Focus Control captures depth information at the time of shooting so users can adjust portrait focus later, and a suite of advanced Photographic Styles (including a new “Bright” style) lets you apply custom color and tonality to images.
On the front is an 18 MP Center Stage camera with a wide, square sensor. It allows the iPhone Air to take selfies and video in either portrait or landscape orientation without rotating the phone.
During group shots, Center Stage automatically zooms out and recenters using AI so everyone stays in frame. Both cameras can record video in 4K at up to 60 fps with Dolby Vision HDR. Apple added Spatial Audio recording for immersive sound, an Action mode for gimbal-like stabilization in handheld video, and support for simultaneous front+rear recording (Dual Capture mode) to film multiple angles at once.
Processor and Connectivity
Within the new iPhone Air is the new Apple A19 Pro chip – 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU with dedicated Neural Engine cores. Apple calls this chip the fastest CPU in any smartphone and it also has Neural Accelerators that enhance graphics process in AI on-device work, approximately three times faster.
The Air also features two new Apple-designed chips: N1, an ultra-fast connectivity chip with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread (and a significant improvement to the performance of AirDrop and hotspots); and C1X, a 5G modem that is 2X faster than the previous year’s modem and consumes 30% less power.
A combination of these chips renders the iPhone Air very power-efficient. The phone is compatible with sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G (where available) as well as it replaces the physical SIM slot with an exclusive use of eSIM to allow the phone to maximize the available internal space and security.
Battery Life
The new iPhone Air has a thin form, but it has an amazing battery life all day. The internal design (milled rear plateau) is such that the battery capacity is maximum in Apple.
The new iPhone Air has a maximum video playback of 27 hours on a full charge in tests. Software can help you live longer, too: iOS 26 adds an Adaptive Power Mode, which can monitor your usage habits and adjust its energy consumption as it anticipates that your charge may run out. In cases when you need more juice, Apple also launched an ultra thin MagSafe Battery Pack (sold separately). This narrow wireless battery magnetically fits on the back of the Air, and can extend its operation dramatically, with Apple claiming it can last up to 40 hours of video playback when operating.
Software and AI Features
The new iPhone Air is launched with iOS 26 that Apple claims to have a new design and strong new AI (Apple Intelligence) capabilities. There is a new customization of the Lock and Home screens and this is due to the updated interface (nicknamed Liquid Glass). The new appearance on the iPhone Air is depicted in the lock screen of the image above with a big dynamic clock and widgets displayed.
Behind the scenes, iOS 26 introduces powerful on-device AI features: Live Translation can immediately translate text or audio across apps such as Messages, FaceTime and Phone to enable users to communicate across languages in real-time.
A new visual intelligence capability allows you to take a screenshot and tap text or objects on the screenshot to search or act. Importantly, now developers can use an on-device AI foundation model which allows applications to do more complex machine learning tasks privately on the phone (even when offline). iOS 26 also adds call/message screening, improvements to built-in apps (Maps, Music, Wallet) and a new Apple Games app hub. The iPhone Air can even perform on-device computations performed with generative artificial intelligence with the A19 Pros Neural Engine accelerators, previously not possible on older iPhones.
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone Air will be sold in three storage tiers: 256 GB (base), 512 GB, or 1 TB. Pricing in the U.S. starts at $999 for the 256 GB model. (financing available via Apple and carriers). Pre-orders begin at 5:00 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 12, with deliveries and in-store availability starting Friday, September 19.
At launch it will ship in 63+ countries (including the U.S., UK, China, Japan, and others) on that date, with 22 more countries added on September 26. Apple is also offering trade-in credits and carrier deals for buyers. To recap, the iPhone Air starts at $999 (US) for 256 GB and can be configured up to 1 TB. Taken together, the iPhone Air’s blend of ultra-slim design and top-tier features makes it a unique new member of Apple’s smartphone lineup.
With its powerful A19 Pro chip, high-end cameras, and iOS 26’s AI enhancements, it promises a true “pro” experience in a remarkably light package – one that Apple says feels like “holding the future”. Customers can order the iPhone Air on September 12 and expect to see it in stores on September 19.
Apple Air Specifications
| Feature | iPhone Air (2025) |
| Design | 5.6 mm thin, 165 g; mirror-polished Grade 5 titanium frame; Ceramic Shield 2 glass (front/back) |
| Display | 6.5″ Super Retina XDR OLED, ~2778×1284 resolution, 120 Hz ProMotion (adaptive), Always-On (1 Hz) mode; 3000 nits peak brightness |
| Processor | Apple A19 Pro chip (6‑core CPU, 5‑core GPU, Neural Engine accelerators); N1 chip (Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread); C1X 5G modem (faster, 30% more efficient) |
| Camera (Rear) | 48 MP Fusion Main (quad-pixel sensor, ƒ/1.6, sensor-shift OIS; supports 28 mm & 35 mm focal lengths)+ 12 MP equivalent 2× telephoto lens (Photonic Engine) |
| Camera (Front) | 18 MP Center Stage selfie camera (square sensor, wide field-of-view, ultra-stable video) |
| Video | 4K (2160p) at 60 fps with Dolby Vision HDR; Action mode (stabilization); Spatial Audio recording; Front+Rear Dual Capture |
| Battery | “All-day” battery (rated up to 27h video playback); fast charge: ~50% in 30 min; Adaptive Power Mode (iOS 26) |
| Connectivity | 5G cellular (sub-6 GHz and mmWave, via C1X modem); Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread (via N1); NFC; eSIM only (no SIM slot) |
| Operating System | iOS 26 (Liquid Glass design; Apple Intelligence features like Live Translate, Visual Intelligence, on-device ML) |
| Storage Options | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB |
| Colors | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue |
| Price (US) | From $999 (256 GB) |
| Availability | Pre-order Sep 12 (2025); ships Sep 19 in US & major markets; expands to 22 more countries on Sep 26 |
