iPhone Air’s battery life could possibly be a giant headache for customers

There are plenty of compelling causes to think about the brand new iPhone Air over the opposite units within the iPhone 17 lineup.

The iPhone Air may be very skinny — simply 5.6 mm, in comparison with the iPhone 17, which measures 7.8 mm. It additionally has the identical A19 Pro chip because the iPhone 17 Pro, a 48MP predominant digicam, a 6.5-inch show, and weighs simply 165 grams or 5.8 ounces. What’s to not like?

However, there’s one main issue that must be taken into consideration earlier than you change into an iPhone Airhead — battery life. Apple breezed handed this within the announcement, saying it has “all-day battery life.” But what does that imply precisely? Let’s break it down.

iPhone Air battery life vs. iPhone 17

Without the battery pack (which we’ll get to in a minute), Apple says the iPhone Air has as much as 27 hours of battery life with video playback and as much as 22 hours with streaming video playback.

By comparability, Apple says the iPhone 17 has as much as 30 hours with video playback and as much as 27 hours of video playback whereas streaming.

So formally, the iPhone Air has a barely shorter battery life than the iPhone 17. The iPhone Air begins at $999, whereas the iPhone 17 begins at $799. So sure, you are getting a greater chipset and a thinner, lighter telephone, however you are additionally paying extra for a shorter battery life.

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To date, different ultra-thin smartphones just like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge have struggled with battery issues, and we anticipate the iPhone Air to face the identical challenges. Apple has a repair for that, albeit a problematic one.

What’s the cope with the MagSafe battery pack?

In case you missed it, on the very finish of the iPhone Air unveiling, Apple launched a slim MagSafe Battery acessory. With the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery hooked up, your new iPhone Air will get 40 hours of video playback (and as much as 35 hours with streaming), Apple says.

That’s undoubtedly a lift that provides you much more than the iPhone 17 Pro, which affords as much as 39 hours of video playback. If you are shopping for the iPhone Air, you will in all probability need that additional battery, because it already has the shortest battery lifetime of the entire lineup. But you will should pay $99 for that prolonged energy.

Plus, including a MagSafe battery pack sort of defeats the whole objective of the ultra-slim profile, proper?

The battery pack appears to considerably alter the profile of the iPhone 17 Air, as you can see throughout the livestream.

Ultimately, it is a matter of priorities. If you need the slimmest profile and also you’re keen to compromise on longevity, the iPhone Air could possibly be an excellent match. But if the perfect battery life potential is a very powerful issue, put together to go somewhat bulkier.

iPhone Air battery life vs. iPhone 16

Let’s run one other comparability. The iPhone Air has an extended battery life than the iPhone 16, which Apple says is as much as 22 hours of video playback. So it is undoubtedly an improve from final 12 months’s mannequin in that sense. The iPhone 16 simply dropped to $699, so the iPhone Air is kind of a bit dearer in comparison with the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 16, however within the center when it comes to battery life.