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Here Are 5 Smaller iPhone Air Details You Might Have Missed, Including Only a Single Speaker

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Apple's all-new, ultra-thin iPhone Air launches on Friday, and there are some smaller details about the device that you might have missed.

iPhone Air Hands On Thumb 2
Below, we outline five things to know about the iPhone Air:

  • As rumored, the iPhone Air only has a single speaker. The earpiece at the top of the device doubles as a speaker, but there is no speaker on the bottom of the device. The holes to the left and right of the USB-C port are for microphones. For stereo audio, use AirPods or a capable external speaker.
  • On the iPhone Air, the Dynamic Island is positioned slightly lower on the screen compared to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models. This was likely necessary due to the device's ultra-thin frame necessitating internal design changes.
  • While the iPhone 17 Pro models support USB 3.2 Gen 2, for data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps, the iPhone Air is limited to USB 2 speeds of up to 480 Mbps.
  • Apple says the iPhone Air can be charged to 50% in approximately 30 minutes, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro models can be charged to 50% in approximately 20 minutes. A higher-wattage charger and cable is required to achieve these speeds. In addition, MagSafe wireless charging on the iPhone Air is limited to up to 20W, compared to 25W for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
  • In the iPhone 17 Pro models, the A19 Pro chip has a 6-core GPU. In the iPhone Air, it has a 5-core GPU, so graphics performance will take a slight hit.

Be sure to watch our iPhone Air hands-on video from earlier this week.

Related Roundup: iPhone Air
Buyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

sonicrobby Avatar
sonicrobby
10 months ago
None of those small details seem like a practical impact for me :) I’m so excited to get the air!
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gleepskip Avatar
gleepskip
10 months ago
There are too many compromises with the Air, especially for the price. This is probably the new direction for iPhone and this is gen 1. The first MacBook Air was awful, too. Now, it's an amazing machine.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tbayrgs Avatar
tbayrgs
10 months ago

I don't see one single reason to get the Air... except being thin and being the same reason people get an Hermes Apple Watch; to show-off they have money; which, it doesn't make sense; but even with that, seems like a silly purchase. Maybe I'm missing something

I'd like to know, why people will get it, I'm very curious.
I'll play Devil's Advocate;

It's quite a bit lighter that the other models, especially the Pro models, while offering a larger display.

My wife would like a display bigger than her Pro model but the added weight of my Pro Max is not appealing. Using my Pro Max for even a brief period brings the requisite 'How you you use that all day?' question. Having more screen yet it being even lighter than her current phone sounds pretty great to her. She's also around a charger most of the day (on her desk, in her car) so less battery life not a huge issue.

Some people are oblivious of the added lenses and their functionality/benefits--my wife and kids among them. You know how often in public I see being setting up their photo by immediately pinching to zoom in? The single 48 MP shooter is perfectly fine for these folks. The front camera is the same across all the new phones and I'd eager most will take advantage of it more than any changes to the rear setup.

It's definitely not for everyone, or even most people but I can see the appeal for many. Hell, I've got both a Pro Max and Air ordered for pickup this Friday to give em a good comparison test drive. There's a good chance either my daughter or wife might be persuaded to give it a go if I don't keep it. My iPhone is going to be my second line this year (using a foldable for my primary) so the Air might be a perfect companion.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Outpostjupiter Avatar
Outpostjupiter
10 months ago

Sacrificing a bunch for it to be thinner... and I'm not even sure why I would want by phone to be thinner?
Sometimes, when technology is sufficient, art matters.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sonicrobby Avatar
sonicrobby
10 months ago

Sacrificing a bunch for it to be thinner... and I'm not even sure why I would want by phone to be thinner?
I’d sacrifice more to get a flush camera on the back! I personally have always hated the phones getting bigger and thicker. They have been harder for me to hold. That’s the main reason I want the air. Especially after using the m4 iPad Pro for so long, the thin-ness of a device somehow makes the use experience more… magical?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
MdRuckus
10 months ago

It's not even that light, same weight as base 17 basically
It definitely is lighter. 165 grams vs 177 grams.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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