Apple debuts the $999 ultra-thin iPhone Air

Summary

Move over, iPhone Plus, here comes your super-slim replacement: the iPhone Air. During Apple’s iPhone event on Tuesday, the company unveiled the iPhone Air, its thinnest and lightest model to date. This replaces the Plus model in the company’s 2025 lineup, following the underperformance of the iPhone 16 Plus last year, based on data from research firm DSCC. The star of today’s event draws inspiration from Apple’s MacBook Air strategy, which debuted in 2008 as the thinnest laptop available, positioned between the more affordable MacBook and the higher-quality MacBook Pro. Now, Apple is applying the “Air” concept to the iPhone, emphasizing thinness and lightness as the main selling points. The “airiness” feel is thanks to its titanium frame, and it measures at just 5.6 millimeters thick. This makes it about 0.08 inches (or slightly over 2 mm) thinner than current iPhones and thinner than Samsung’s 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge. For a better idea of how thin it is, think about four stacked dimes, which total about 5.4 mm. The phone features a large 6.6-inch display, sporting the same 120Hz ProMotion setup found on the Pro models. It runs on the A19 Pro chip, also just like the new Pro and Pro Max models, providing a performance boost over the base iPhone 17 model. Image Credits:Apple Another interesting detail is that it’s an e-SIM-only device. This helps keep the phone looking sleek since there’s no need for a physical SIM card slot. It also offers more security than regular SIM cards, as they can’t be easily removed from a lost or stolen phone. Techcrunch event San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 When rumors began circulating about the iPhone Air, many concerns centered on battery life and the absence of two rear cameras, like what the Plus model has. However, during the event, Apple introduced its new 48-megapixel fusion camera system, which functions as multiple advanced cameras in one. Despite being thinner, the iPhone Air offers all-day battery life. Additionally, with t...