What is the iPhone Air missing?

To achieve its impressively thin design, Apple had to cut back on many key features of the iPhone Air, including a feature that has been present on every iPhone model since the iPhone 7.

The iPhone 17 Air boasts an impressively thin design. Photo: Apple .

At the "Awe Dropping" event, the iPhone Air was the focus of attention due to its completely new design, which was expected to significantly change the product line.

The iPhone Air boasts a slim profile of just 5.6 mm, 0.2 mm thinner than its competitor, the Galaxy S25 Edge. However, achieving this impressively thin design came at the cost of several important features.

Details of the thinnest iPhone Air ever: The iPhone Air attracted all the attention when Apple introduced it at the same time as the iPhone 17 series, thanks to its unusually thin design.

Single speaker only

According to official information from Apple, the iPhone 17 Air will not be equipped with a stereo speaker system, a feature that has been present on every iPhone model since the iPhone 7.

This means the iPhone Air will only have a single speaker, using the earpiece speaker to produce sound. The fact that it only has one speaker is raising many questions about the sound quality of the iPhone Air.

The design diagram shows that the iPhone 17 Air has only a single speaker, which serves both as the earpiece speaker for calls and the external speaker for audio playback. Image: Apple.

Currently, experts are awaiting detailed reviews to see if Apple has a technological solution that will allow the sound quality from a single speaker on the iPhone Air to match the stereo speaker system of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.

Camera and battery

The first noticeable difference is the rear camera system. The iPhone Air has removed the ultra-wide-angle lens compared to the iPhone 17, meaning it doesn't support 13mm ultra-wide-angle photography or macro photography.

In terms of battery life, the iPhone Air recorded significantly lower figures compared to the standard iPhone 17 model. Specifically, the continuous video playback time on the iPhone Air was 27 hours, 3 hours less than the 30 hours of the iPhone 17. For streaming video, the iPhone Air achieved 22 hours, while the iPhone 17 achieved 27 hours.

The iPhone Air has only a single rear camera with a 48MP resolution. Photo: Apple.

Although this battery life is comparable to the iPhone 16 Plus generation, the iPhone Air's battery performance is still considered lower than the iPhone 17 – a model that Apple has significantly improved in terms of battery life.

To address this issue, Apple launched the MagSafe Battery accessory specifically for the iPhone Air. This accessory increases battery life by 1.5 times, although it temporarily sacrifices the phone's slim and lightweight design advantage.

Charging and connecting

In terms of charging capabilities, the device supports fast charging, reaching 50% battery in 30 minutes with a 20W charger. Meanwhile, MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging only reach a maximum power of 20W, slightly lower than the iPhone 17.

Notably, the iPhone Air completely eliminates the physical SIM slot, only supporting eSIM globally. This means users will be dependent on their carrier and the eSIM conversion process. This is also why the first batch of iPhone Airs in China is likely to be delayed, as Apple is still working with authorities in China to complete the necessary licensing procedures.

In terms of connectivity, the iPhone Air still uses the USB 2 standard, similar to the iPhone 17. However, the device does not support video output via DisplayPort.

The Type-C connector is positioned towards the back to ensure the product's slim profile. Photo: YahooNews.

Instead, users are forced to use AirPlay wireless technology to project the screen onto external devices such as TVs. The USB Type-C port is also unusually positioned towards the back of the device. This is seen as Apple's way of ensuring maximum thinness for the product.

Another drawback of the iPhone Air is its lack of 5G mmWave connectivity support. This could be a factor that prompts users who frequently use this technology to consider switching to other iPhone 17 models.

5G mmWave (millimeter wave) is a technology in 5G networks that uses high radio frequencies, from approximately 24-100 GHz (or more broadly 24-300 GHz), to transmit data at high speeds and with extremely low latency.

Specifications and pricing

Apple has equipped the iPhone Air with the Apple C1X modem chip, an upgraded version of the C1 chip found in the iPhone 16e. The device also supports advanced connectivity standards such as Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 6, and Thread, delivering superior speed and performance.

In terms of specifications, the iPhone Air is equipped with the A19 Pro processor, which is more powerful than the A19 chip in the iPhone 17. It has a minimum storage capacity of 256 GB and a maximum of up to 1 TB, significantly higher than the 512 GB maximum of the iPhone 17.

An accessory that "upgrades" the battery of the iPhone Air is being sold for $99 on the Apple Store. Photo: MacRumors.

However, the price of the iPhone Air is also quite high. According to information from AppleStore Vietnam, with a starting price of 32 million VND, the iPhone Air is significantly more expensive than the 25 million VND price tag of the iPhone 17.

Tech experts believe this price point could be a major hurdle, especially when compared to the compromises made on this ultra-thin iPhone.

Source: https://znews.vn/nhung-chi-tiet-bat-ngo-bi-cat-giam-บน-iphone-17-air-post1584098.html