Apple has officially pushed the boundaries of engineering with the new iPhone Air, a device that prioritizes a sleek, ultra-thin look above all else. Measuring just 5.6 mm thick, it is incredibly light and features a 6.5-inch display that many are calling the "Goldilocks" size—perfectly filling the gap between portability and a great screen for watching videos. To keep it safe, Apple used its new Ceramic Shield 2 glass, which is much better at resisting scratches and cuts down on annoying screen reflections. The titanium frame also adds a layer of durability; it’s designed to flex slightly rather than snap, though the glossy finish does tend to pick up a lot of fingerprints.

However, making a phone this thin required some major trade-offs. You won’t find a physical SIM slot here, as it is eSIM-only, and the back features just a single 48MP camera lens instead of the multi-lens setups we’ve seen recently. It also lacks stereo speakers, relying on a single speaker for audio. Under the hood, it runs on the A19 Pro chip, but it’s a slightly tuned-down version with fewer GPU cores than the Pro models. While this means it might get a little warm when playing heavy games, it still offers blazing-fast performance for almost everything else.

The battery life is surprisingly decent for such a thin device, lasting a full day and performing similarly to last year's iPhone 16 Pro. If you're a power user, you can snap on the new MagSafe charger to keep it going even longer. On the camera front, the standout feature is the new 18-megapixel selfie camera, which uses a unique square sensor for a wider view and better stability. There’s even a cool dual capture mode that lets you record video from the front and back cameras at the same time. Starting at $999, the iPhone Air is a bold statement piece for those who value design and "thinness" over having every single pro feature.