Apple Takes the Wraps Off iPhone Air

Source: Apple.

As expected, Apple revealed the iPhone Air today. The stats are impressive: the Air is just 5.6 mm thick and weighs 165 grams, with a 6.5-inch ProMotion screen and the A19 Pro chip.

The back of the device is protected with Ceramic Shield, while the front uses the new Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is three times more scratch-resistant. In addition to the A19 Pro chip, the internals of the Air include a new Apple-designed N1 chip that controls Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread connectivity. Apple says the N1 will improve features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. The phone features Apple’s new C1X 5G modem, too.

Apple says the A19 Pro’s 6-core CPU improves both the performance and efficiency of the chip. It also includes a 5-core GPU with each core sporting a Neural Accelerator for a claimed 3× boost in performance.

Source: Apple.

As for the camera, the Air has a single 48MP Fusion camera on the back that Apple touts as the equivalent of having four separate cameras, and the selfie camera has been updated to an 18MP Center Stage camera. Equally impressive is that those cameras plus the chipsets and speaker are all contained in a camera bump that stretches the width of the Air and is milled from high-gloss polished titanium.

The 6.5-inch screen doesn’t cut corners. It’s the same adaptive ProMotion Super Retina XDR screen that we’ve seen before with an adaptive refresh rate that goes up to 120Hz and as low as 1Hz. It’s also capable of up to 3000 nits of brightness, the highest ever on an iPhone. Apple says the outdoor contrast is two times better on the Air, too, but what it’s being compared to is unclear.

From the looks of it, the selfie camera is a big upgrade. The sensor is square, allowing users to take selfies in portrait or landscape while holding the phone vertically. The camera also uses AI to detect faces, adjusting the field of view to accommodate and frame subjects. The sensor can capture 4K HDR video and shoot simultaneously with the back camera.

That back camera uses a single lens and 48MP sensor to capture the equivalent of 28mm and 25mm focal lengths. Plus, there’s a 2x Telephoto option that crops your image. One software addition that wasn’t previously available in the iOS 26 betas is a new Photographic Style called Bright that Apple says brightens skin tones and applies vibrance to an image.

Source: Apple.

Despite its thinness, Apple says the Air’s battery will last all day long thanks to its Adaptive Power Mode software optimizations and the lack of a physical SIM card. While eSIMs have been available for quite a while in the U.S., the Air will be a first in some markets worldwide by being eSIM-only.

iPhone Air comes in Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, and Sky Blue, with storage starting at 256 GB. There are unique accessories available for the device that we’ll cover in greater depth elsewhere, too, including an Air-only magnetic battery backpack, two case designs, and a crossbody strap.

The iPhone Air, which starts at $999, is available to pre-order starting this Friday, September 12, with deliveries and in-store availability beginning September 19.