iPhone Air is one of the rare phones one that I keep coming back to, no matter how many devices I use in my work. I want it to be my main phone, but it can't because it bothers me.
When I made the full switch to the iPhone Air last month, I prepared myself for the compromises it brings, like a single rear camera and average battery life. However, after two weeks of testing, the results were better than expected. I missed the telephoto lens, but the 48-megapixel main camera is good enough for regular photos and even the occasional zoom.
Using the Air made me realize that I don't need an all-in-one triple-camera setup and that I prefer to have a phone that has a big screen but isn't bulky. This was a shocking discovery for me. Slim phones like the Air are suitable for people who want something different than a standard, more affordable phone (think iPhone 17) or an all-in-one pro phone that has its cake and eat it too (think iPhone 17 Pro Max).
Don't get me wrong, I love taking photos with the 48MP 4x telephoto lens on my iPhone 17 pro max. But I'm tired of using phones that are so heavy on my wrists. The iPhone Air weighs 165 grams compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which weighs 233 grams. Thin phones such as iPhone Air And Galaxy S25 Edge They are a pleasure to use because they are light and thin, as well as having a large screen and a powerful processor. I get the most useful parts of a heavier phone without adding bulk and weight.
But a brand new Apple iPhone It's not all roses. It's a great everyday phone, but it has one key compromise that took me by surprise. And although CNET's Abrar Al-Hiti mentioned this in her iPhone Air reviewit usually takes a backseat to more obvious issues like the Air's single rear camera or the $99 external battery pack. iPhone Air sounds terrible.
I really miss the stereo speakers on my iPhone Air
CNET's Abrar Al-Hiti watches the video on his iPhone Air.
Apple's iPhone Air has a single speaker that doubles as a headphone. It's good as a headphone, but as a speaker it doesn't work as well, at least for me. It sounds harsh when I'm listening to music or talking on speakerphone with friends and family. I didn't expect the Air to have such poor sound quality. But after a couple of weeks of use, I miss the woofer so much.
I don't watch movies or TV shows on my phone, and when I'm watching Instagram videos or YouTube Shorts, I usually use headphones. The problem comes when I'm on video calls, which I prefer to use the phone's speakers or, in the case of the Air, the earpiece.
I live with my parents and have at least one WhatsApp video call a day with my sister or the small children and toddlers in our extended family. My parents and I want to talk to them together, so using headphones is not an option. Instead, we just use one phone together.
But on the iPhone Air, everything sounds muted, from the excitement when my niece tells us about her day to my sister's guilty laugh after I make a dad joke. I don't like that moments like this are held back by the phone's sub-par speaker. I know it might just be me, but I use my phone's speakers more than its cameras. So, the lack of stereo speakers on the iPhone Air affected me more than the lack of tertiary cameras.
The compromise on speakers is especially jarring considering how often Apple markets its iPhone lineup as a way to use the Apple Music and Apple TV Plus services, both of which are powered by a single speaker. And it's not lost on me how widespread FaceTime video calling is in the US.
I don't want to give up my iPhone Air
Apple's iPhone Air complements the rest of the 2025 iPhone lineup well.
I like the iPhone Air for its lightweight design. I love having a 6.5-inch screen in an iPhone that weighs the same as a 2020 iPhone. iPhone 12. The Air's display size is in the sweet spot between the base 6.3-inch iPhone 17 and the 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The iPhone Air's design also makes a large-screen phone accessible to people who want a 6.5-inch display in a lightweight body. This is one of the rare phones that doesn't compromise on processing performance or image quality and still weighs only 165 grams. For comparison, that's 12 grams lighter than the standard iPhone 17 and 41 grams lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro. It's even lighter than the more affordable, but less powerful iPhone 16e (167 grams).
It would still be my daily phone if it had dedicated stereo speakers. Battery life was better than I expected depending on usage (moderate to heavy). In fact, in CNET's 45-minute battery endurance test, which includes streaming, social media scrolling, joining a video call, and gaming, the iPhone Air's battery charge dropped from full to 95%, which is on par with other phones like Oppo Find N5 foldable phone in book style, Google Pixel 9A And Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Overall, the battery life didn't bother me as much as the lack of a second speaker.
Samsung proves that stereo speakers can be housed in a thin and light design. Galaxy S25 Edge has stereo speakers (and even an ultra-wide-angle camera). I hope Apple makes the next iPhone Air as versatile as the S25 Edge, and that it doesn't force iPhone owners to sacrifice the basic features they're used to having on a $999 flagship phone. For now, I want to continue using the iPhone Air, but I can't.
