As you’re reading this, presumably millions of people have an iPhone Air in their hands, as Apple’s latest thinness-obsessed product hits the phone market. I hope you like it, I really hope this sliver of titanium and glass is everything you hoped it would be—but if you dare put a case on it, know that I’m judging you hard.
Why? Because it means that you’re destroying what little point this iPhone had to begin with, and instead of making you look cool and hip, it just ends up making you look a little confused.
The iPhone Air Is the Ultimate Misguided iPhone
I already brought up this gripe with the release of the tandem-OLED M4 iPad Pro models, where Apple took the opportunity to give its tablets a big diet. I, personally, would have preferred more functionality, performance, or battery life instead of a tablet that’s thinner than the already thin tablet it replaced. But, at least that device is still an upgrade over its thicker predecessor in every way.
With the iPhone Air, there are serious compromises compared to the other iPhone options you have. To shave those few millimeters off the phone, you have to put up with compromises in your camera performance, cooling capacity, battery capacity, and (potentially) durability—though time will tell whether the last one is really an issue or not.
The iPhone Air is undeniably a technical flex from Apple. The company has essentially squeezed the entire “phone” part up into the camera “plateau,” which, by the way, isn’t counted towards the phone’s thickness, though in my opinion, a camera bump is the true thickness of the phone.
I’ll concede that the part of the phone you hold really is that thin, but that fat neck bulge does make the idea that you can, for example, slide this phone more easily into a tight pocket moot. Though maybe we’ll see people with their iPhone Airs poking out of the top of their pockets like some sort of weird robot kangaroo.
While it’s a cool technical demo of how thin Apple can make a phone before it becomes 2D, there’s really no practical benefit here compared to something that’s 3-5mm thicker. My current iPhone 14 Pro is already an incredibly slim device. It’s already somewhat compromised because of that, so I think we need to admit that the iPhone Air isn’t about technology or performance at all—it’s about aesthetics.
If You Want This Razer-Thin Phone, Own That Decision
And, you know what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting something because it’s beautiful. There are plenty of objects and devices that are more about looks than functionality. There’s no law that says you need to strike a particular balance.
If you choose a phone like the iPhone Air, then you’re not the sort of person who really cares about the practicality of your phone, are you? That’s fine. That’s fashion. Fashion doesn’t have to be practical, and some people might even argue that being impractical is part of the gag. Just be honest about it, and embrace that choice.
So, Why Are You Putting a Case on This?
Which brings me to the crux of the argument—are you considering a case for your iPhone Air? Because if you are, you’re working on an equation that will balance out to a big fat zero. The iPhone Air has been specifically made from tougher materials to help its dinky body withstand the allure of being the next bendgate.
- SoC
-
A19 ship
- Display
-
6.3-inches
- Storage
-
256 or 512GB
- Battery
-
Up to 30 hours of video playback
- Ports
-
USB-C port
- Operating System
-
iOS
You wanted a supermodel phone with an impossibly-thin frame, so why drape them in a hazmat suit? In a case, the iPhone Air will look and feel no thinner than any other phone. I firmly believe in using smartphones naked or using a leather case, but now that leather cases for iPhones are basically dead, it’s naked or nothing. If you never cared for the aesthetics of your phone, then I can absolutely understand the desire for a case, but if you bought an iPhone Air, then you’re telling the world that you do care about style over substance—so why would you use a case?
Maybe Don’t Encourage Apple This Time?
Look, I’m not an iPhone fan, despite loving the other gadgets in Tim Cook’s walled garden. I’m counting down the days until I can dump my current iPhone 14 Pro and return to Android. For me, it was a failed experiment, but iPhones are great for the right customer. That doesn’t mean any iPhone is a good option.
There are, in fact, many good reasons not to buy the iPhone Air. However, buying one is most likely to be an emotional rather than rational decision—and there’s nothing wrong with that. Putting the world’s thinnest phone inside a case, however, there’s just no excuse for that.
- SoC
-
A19 Pro chip
- Display
-
6.5-inches
- Storage
-
256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
- Ports
-
USB-C
- Operating System
-
iOS
- Colors
-
Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, Space Black
