ⓘ Thai Nguyen
The Apple iPhone Air ($744 on Amazon) does offer some of the iPhone 17 Pro’s features, such as the Apple A19 Pro ARM processor. However, the ultra-thin flagship smartphone is actually inferior to the more affordable iPhone 17 in some areas, particularly in terms of its significantly smaller battery and single rear camera.
According to the latest information from Bloomberg, Apple plans to make improvements to the second-generation iPhone Air, as the smartphone is set to receive three major upgrades. First, Apple is expected to extend the battery life, though it is not yet known whether the smartphone will simply operate more efficiently or if a larger battery will be installed. In our in-depth test, the iPhone Air couldn’t quite keep up with the battery life of the thicker iPhone 17 Pro, but it did outperform slightly older models like the iPhone 15 Pro.
Second, Apple is said to be adding an ultra-wide-angle camera, which should address the second major point of criticism from customers. And third, the iPhone Air 2 is reportedly getting an upgrade to a variant of the Apple A20 Pro, the same ARM chip that is also expected to be used in the iPhone 18 Pro (Max) and the iPhone Ultra. The second-generation iPhone Air is not expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro in September, but rather in the spring of 2027, around the same time as the base model iPhone 18, just under a year and a half after the launch of the first-generation iPhone Air.
Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry.
