Despite that, I think that the Air will become the go-to iPhone model in 2-3 years. The iPhone that everyone will be rocking in public, and the model that newcomers to Apple’s ecosystem will be encouraged to get.
Today’s iPhone Air isn’t great — it makes a lot of sacrifices — but I still believe that Apple has finally struck gold. Or, at least, made a model that will win over a reasonable chunk of the market share, unlike the mini or the Plus. Let me explain.
iPhone Air will get better very fast
The iPhone Air makes sacrifices for its form. | Image credit — Apple
Most of the shortcomings currently holding back the iPhone Air aren’t going to last too long. Short battery life? Apple will continue to improve upon its batteries, like Samsung with the Galaxy S26 Edge. When that’s not enough, the company will transition over to silicon batteries, a field that it is already experimenting in.
There are already super slim phones on the market with much larger batteries than the Air: for example, the Tecno Slim. The iPhone Air’s battery life is already pretty decent, just a few minutes less than the base model iPhone 17. Intelligent battery management on iOS 26 helps a great deal, and it’ll only get better alongside larger batteries in the future.Another slight problem with the iPhone Air is its performance. According to initial benchmarks coming in from various sources, despite having the faster A19 Pro chipset, the Air performs a little worse than the base iPhone 17, which has a standard A19 chip.
But, here’s the thing: most consumers don’t care. The iPhone Air works perfectly for everyday use, and even gaming. Sure, its titanium frame doesn’t help matters — it traps in more heat and leads to worse performance — but it’s absolutely okay for your average user.
Lastly, the iPhone Air has a single camera that is not as good as the camera system on the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. But, again, most consumers will not care. Your average Joe isn’t going to be filming a movie with their phone, and the iPhone Air’s camera is still a pretty good setup overall, and it’s also only going to keep getting better.
iPhone 17 Pro is now a true professional’s phone
The iPhone 17 Pro isn’t to everyone’s liking. | Image credit — Apple
With the iPhone 17 series, it’s become quite evident that Apple wants most of its users to get an iPhone Air, and not the Pro models. From little things, like the exclusion of a black color option for the Pros, to the radical redesign that so many have disliked, the Air is the everyday phone from now on.
Apple is very likely to continue this strategy in the future, and the Air model will become the standard iPhone to get. The iPhone 17 Pro’s redesign serves one purpose: function. From the all-aluminum chassis with its glass window for wireless charging, to the larger camera module on the back, it may not look pretty to most people, but it’s a beast.
And, as I said above, most consumers don’t want a beast. They want a sleek, elegant-looking phone that lasts almost a full day and is fast enough for everyday use. The iPhone Air is precisely that, and makes the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro a phone only worth considering if you need that extra power and those better cameras.
I truly believe that Apple has finally found a winner. The Air appeals to me more than any iPhone model has in years, and I think that’s true for a significant number of Apple users as well, at least if online discussions are to be believed.
iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17 aren’t bad phones. In fact, they’re excellent phones, especially the base model, which has picked up so many new upgrades.
But I think that the Pro model’s time as the best iPhone to get is coming to an end. It will soon be the age of the iPhone Air and the foldable iPhone.
“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!
Rediscover some of the most unique and memorable phones of the last two decades! “Iconic Phones” is a beautifully illustrated book that we’ve been working on for over a year – and it’s coming out in just a couple short month!