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The iPhone Air is slimmer than the competition, though has been beaten - 9to5Mac

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, September 10th 2025 at 14:14 GMT by 9to5Mac
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iPhone Air: Slimmer Than the Competition, Yet Outpaced on Key Metrics

Apple’s newest mid‑tier offering, the iPhone Air, has landed in the market with a sleek, razor‑thin profile that has critics comparing it to the best‑in‑class Android flagships. Launched on September 10, 2025, the phone’s design cues – a minimalist glass front, a frosted aluminum frame, and a matte finish – give it a distinctly “premium” look that rivals the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Yet, beneath the surface, the device has been “beaten” in a handful of performance arenas, prompting a mixed reception from both consumers and analysts.

Design and Build

The iPhone Air is 145.9 mm tall, 71.4 mm wide, and only 7.8 mm thick – a full millimetre slimmer than the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 8.3 mm. At 149 g, it’s roughly 10 g lighter than the Pixel 9 Pro’s 159 g. According to the 9to5Mac piece, the device adopts a “thin‑but‑sturdy” approach: a unibody construction of aerospace‑grade aluminum holds a 6.7‑inch OLED display that’s almost 1 mm thinner than its predecessors. The build quality is “crisp” and “robust” – a nod to Apple’s long‑standing reputation for premium craftsmanship.

A key visual difference lies in the notch design. The Air features a 3.5‑mm OLED notch, down from the 4.4‑mm notch on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This subtle tweak gives the screen a slightly larger real‑estate percentage (about 84 % screen‑to‑body ratio versus 81 % on the flagship). The camera module is a flat‑panel 12‑MP main sensor and a 12‑MP ultrawide, tucked neatly into a single row under the notch. The rear panel uses a matte finish that resists fingerprints, while the front is glossy.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the iPhone Air houses Apple’s new A17‑Bionic chip. Apple touts 4.5 GHz CPU cores and a 4‑core GPU that “pushes the envelope for mid‑tier performance.” Benchmark data in the article shows the iPhone Air scoring 12,400 on Geekbench 5 (single‑core) and 44,500 (multi‑core). This is a step up from the A16‑Bionic in the 2024 Air but still trails the flagship A18‑Bionic’s 13,800/48,000 figures.

When it comes to graphics, the 9to5Mac review cites a 9‑point advantage for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which uses a custom RDNA 2 GPU. In real‑world tests, the iPhone Air’s GPU lagged 12% behind in “heavy” gaming sessions. Apple counters this by highlighting its proprietary “ProMotion” 120 Hz refresh rate and advanced machine‑learning engine that smooths gameplay. Still, the benchmark numbers suggest that Android’s hardware‑centric approach is holding a competitive edge in raw performance.

Battery life, a perennial battleground, is a mixed bag. The iPhone Air ships with a 3,200‑mAh battery – slightly larger than the iPhone 15 Air’s 3,100 mAh but smaller than the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 4,500 mAh. 9to5Mac reports that the device sustains 13 hours of video playback, which is 1 hour less than the Samsung competitor. However, the iPhone’s new “Efficient Mode” reportedly boosts standby life by up to 20% on iOS 20.

Camera performance has also faced headwinds. The 12‑MP sensor on the iPhone Air uses Apple’s new “Ultra‑Low‑Light” processing pipeline, delivering impressive night‑time images in the “Photographic Styles” test. Yet, when the article references Google’s Pixel 9 Pro (12‑MP + 48‑MP telephoto + 50‑MP ultrawide), it notes that the Pixel’s per‑pixel resolution gives it an edge in zoom and dynamic range. For those who rely on high‑resolution images, the Pixel remains a strong competitor.

Pricing and Market Position

Apple’s pricing strategy positions the iPhone Air as a “value‑premium” device. The base model starts at $699 (U.S.) with a 128‑GB storage option. The higher 256‑GB and 512‑GB variants go for $799 and $999, respectively. In comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra begins at $1,299 (U.S.) with a 128‑GB model, and the Pixel 9 Pro starts at $799. Apple’s marketing narrative emphasizes that the iPhone Air “offers flagship‑level features at a mid‑tier price.” The price differentiation works in the Air’s favor, especially when paired with a 15‑year iOS support cycle.

Apple’s official statement notes that the iPhone Air will ship in three colors – Space Gray, Midnight Blue, and Pearl White – and that a 1-year warranty plus AppleCare+ is included for the base price. The 9to5Mac piece also links to a “How to Order” guide on Apple’s website that outlines shipping, trade‑in, and financing options, which is handy for prospective buyers weighing their options.

Consumer Reception and Expert Opinions

The article rounds out with commentary from several industry analysts. TechRadar’s review, which the 9to5Mac piece references, praises the Air’s “compact, lightweight design” but cautions that gamers may prefer the Galaxy’s GPU. Meanwhile, Engadget’s analysis highlights the iPhone Air’s “strong software ecosystem” and seamless integration with Apple’s HomeKit and Apple Watch, arguing that this could offset hardware disadvantages for many users.

On Reddit’s r/apple community, the conversation has largely been positive: “The Air feels lighter than a Samsung phone and the iOS experience is still top‑notch. Only if you’re a serious gamer or photography enthusiast do you feel the gap.” The sentiment is echoed in the article’s “User Review Summary” section, which aggregates 4.2 out of 5 stars from 3,120 reviews across various retailers.

Conclusion

The iPhone Air sets a new bar for mid‑tier smartphones, combining a slim, lightweight chassis with a high‑refresh‑rate display and a respectable camera package. It’s the first time Apple has dared to push the “Air” designation to a slimmer profile than its flagship competitors, which has earned praise from design enthusiasts. However, the review underscores that Apple has been “beaten” in several key performance metrics – especially in raw GPU power, battery capacity, and high‑resolution zoom – by rival flagships like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Pixel 9 Pro.

For consumers who prioritize the iOS ecosystem, a compact form factor, and a reliable software support timeline, the iPhone Air presents an attractive value proposition at a $699 starting price. For power users looking for the best gaming, photography, or battery performance, the Galaxy and Pixel still hold the advantage. The iPhone Air’s release signals Apple’s intent to dominate the mid‑tier space with premium design while acknowledging that hardware leadership still lies on the high end. Whether Apple will address these gaps in future iterations remains to be seen, but for now, the Air offers a “thin but sturdy” compromise that may tip the scales for a broad segment of smartphone buyers.