The iPhone Air is something of a marvel at first glance. It's an ultra-thin phone that manages to retain the flagship-level performance and durability, with battery life that should still last an entire day — even though battery capacity isn't expected to be quite as large as the iPhone 17.
But I don't have a huge amount of confidence that the phone hasn't been forced to make some significant sacrifices to achieve that 5.6mm thickness. And that's because Apple's iPhone Air accessories seem to be pre-empting some potential problems before users can start causing a ruckus.
Specifically, I've got particular concerns about the durability and battery life side of things in light of the accessories Apple has announced for the Air.
iPhone Air's exclusive battery pack
To be clear, I haven't used the iPhone Air yet, nor have I done any battery testing. But it's not going out on a limb to say the iPhone Air battery life won't measure up to the other phones Apple is putting on sale this week. Apple's own metrics say as much, and based on that we're looking at, battery times could be anywhere from 3 to 5 hours lower battery life than iPhone 17.
Apple did announce a special MagSafe battery pack that's been released specifically for the iPhone Air, and it's designed for people who want more than just "all day battery life," according to the company. With a form factor designed to complement the iPhone Air's ultra-thin design, the two are connected.
I've no aversion to external battery packs, because some times, you need a boost during a day with particularly heavy phone usage. Maybe you had to keep your hotspot on all day, or it's so bright that the adaptive brightness on the display has to be cranked up to 11 for almost the entire day.
But I consider accessories like external battery packs to be more like general purpose tools, designed for any electronic devices you might have. iPhone Air's battery doesn't do that, or at least it doesn't according to Apple.
The store page notes that the battery pack was "created exclusively for iPhone Air," and the images show that the design of the battery pack means it's just too tall to neatly attach to other devices. While there are likely ways you could get the battery functioning with other devices, the fact of the matter is that Apple only intends this battery to be used for the iPhone Air.
Frankly, that feels like a pretty big red flag and suggests to me that Apple knows people aren't going to be happy with the staying power of the iPhone Air when it's flying solo.
If it's so durable, why is there a bumper case?
After iPhone 6's "Bendgate", which saw reports of the phone bending during everyday use, Apple couldn't afford not to hyperfixate on durability when making a phone this thin. So when Apple claims that the iPhone Air is "incredibly strong" and the most durable iPhone it's ever made, I'm inclined to believe it.
In fact, Tom's Guide Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer attempted to bend the iPhone Air during the launch event, and wasn't able to cause any permanent damage.
Of course, the fact that Apple has just released a brand new Bumper case, something we haven't seen since the iPhone 4, has me wondering whether that durability is all-encompassing.
Every phone has its weak spots, and the edges are often some of the biggest offenders when accidental damage occurs — particularly the corners. The bumper case is specifically designed to help protect the iPhone Air's edges and ensure accidental drops or other "bumps" don't end up causing irreparable harm to the phone.
The fact that none of the other iPhone 17 models have their own official bumper cases, nor have any iPhones released in the past 15 years, is rather telling. It's almost as though Apple knows something about the durability that the rest of us are unaware of.
Then again, maybe I'm just overthinking things; it could just be that because Apple is emphasizing the design aspect of the iPhone Air, it wanted to give people an option to show off that thin look. So the bumper case is here to add some strength to those weak points, while still highlighting the look of the phone itself — while offering a way to attach the new Crossbody strap in the process.
Sure, plenty of phone makers have gotten around this by offering transparent plastic or silicone cases, but those inevitably tarnish over time. That shouldn't be an issue with the Bumper case, and that could well have been a big part of why it was resurrected.
Bottom line
As impressive as the iPhone Air looks, it's giving me flashbacks to the early 2010s, back when Apple seemingly operated under the belief that design trumped everything — including hardware prowess. Everything Apple has said so far would suggest that isn't the case, but considering we're in that limbo stage between launch and the September 19 release, my mind is still racing.
It could be that Apple is anticipating some of the pettier complaints the iPhone Air is going to get, and is offering these accessories as some kind of compromise. But the fact that the battery and bumper case were so prominently featured in the iPhone Air announcement feels like these products are being pushed less as optional extras and more as products designed to make up for the Air's shortcomings.
Hopefully, with the release of the iPhone Air mere days away, we don't have to wait long to find out just how many sacrifices had to be made to make the phone look the way it does. And, to be honest, I am very much looking forward to seeing how the iPhone Air performs in the various stress tests it'll no doubt be made to undergo.
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