iPhone Air: Apple launches an ultra-thin 5.6mm smartphone

Published on 9 Sep 2025
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Updated on 9 Sep 2025

Youssef

A true Swiss army knife, Youssef has a fairly wide range of skills. Officially Growth Manager, he is also involved in the production of content for the site and the presence of planhub on social networks. Here, Youssef dissects all the mobile and internet news for you.

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Apple has done what many thought impossible: creating a fully functional smartphone just 5.6 millimeters thick.

Unveiled today during the company’s annual keynote, the iPhone Air is a technical marvel that could change the way we use smartphones. Cupertino engineers completely redesigned the phone’s internal architecture. Their clever solution? Using the camera bump to house part of the electronics, freeing up crucial space in the main body for a properly sized battery.

Durability Is Not Compromised

Concerns about the sturdiness of such a thin device are understandable, but Apple responds with concrete solutions. The new Ceramic Shield, extended to the back of the phone for the first time, quadruples crack resistance. This material upgrade reflects lessons learned from previous generations.

The 6.5-inch ProMotion display retains all premium features, including a variable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Apple is now bringing technologies previously reserved for its most expensive models to a broader audience.

Crucial Energy Efficiency

The A19 Pro processor powering the iPhone Air impresses not only with its raw power. In such a tightly packed chassis, energy efficiency becomes critical. Apple claims it has designed its “most energy-efficient iPhone”, a necessity to maintain acceptable battery life. This optimization is supported by software specifically developed for power management. An optional MagSafe accessory can extend total battery life up to 48 hours, catering to heavy users.

Photography Compromises Acknowledged

The camera system highlights the necessary trade-offs. The main 48-megapixel sensor with an f/1.6 aperture delivers solid performance, but the lack of an optical telephoto lens is noticeable. Apple compensates with a 2x digital zoom using sensor cropping, a less elegant but technically viable solution given the space constraints. The 18-megapixel front camera features Center Stage and allows simultaneous recording on both lenses, clearly targeting content creators and social media users.

Modernized Connectivity

The complete removal of the physical SIM in favor of a global eSIM frees up a few extra millimeters of space. This decision, along with the integration of Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 6, and Thread through Apple’s proprietary C1X modem, modernizes the connectivity experience.

A Premium Positioning That Raises Questions

Starting at $1,449 with 256 GB of storage, the iPhone Air clearly targets the ultra-premium segment. The four available colors, Space Black, Light White, Sky Blue and Gold, remain within Apple’s classic palette.

This strategy raises questions. Apple is focusing on thinness as a differentiator rather than camera performance or raw power. It remains to be seen whether consumers, accustomed to more conventional upgrades, will embrace this approach. The iPhone Air may signal the future of smartphones or be an expensive experiment. The market will decide.