Less is more? Apple's future vision of the iPhone Air

Contents

Apple's golden years are over. Critics and persistent complainers will pat themselves on the back when they read this line: they've always said it. But what they mean is something completely different: Apple is giving its iPhone a slimming makeover. It was already apparent when the iPad Pro suddenly had to slim down a year and a half ago that Apple might have the same in mind for the iPhone. Now, after many years in which the design remained largely the same, the metal belt is being tightened considerably. From this perspective alone, this year's event was more exciting than those of previous years.

A commentary by Malte Kirchner

Malte Kirchner has been an editor at heise online since 2022. In addition to technology itself, he is interested in how it is changing society. He pays particular attention to news from Apple. He also covers development and podcasting.

The iPhone Air, the star of the Apple event on Tuesday evening German time, literally has a touch of the future about it. Thinner and lighter is always well received at first glance. But is the pleasure it brings sustainable? That remains to be seen. The big question mark is the battery life in everyday use.

Flatten, fold, make invisible

It is a return to an old formula: According to designers in Silicon Valley, the perfect hardware seems to be the one that touches the level of invisibility at some point. Apple is not alone on this path: Samsung has already led the way with its S25 Edge. If the rumor mongers are right, the miniaturization that was necessary for the iPhone Air will even be a precursor to a foldable iPhone in subsequent years. Two thin iPhones would then make one fold.

This year, the Air replaces the fourth iPhone in the annual lineup, a historically problematic position. It is located where the rather unlucky Mini and Plus models were. The target groups they were intended to serve were apparently too small for Apple to keep the models in its range in the long term.

Apple plays it safe

But is the Air really a guarantee of success in comparison?

The way in which it was introduced suggests that Apple is targeting a fashion-conscious target group that likes to show off the device with the new neck strap like a handbag. A target group that has both feet firmly planted in everyday life and therefore values robustness, which was particularly emphasized in this model. Perhaps this target group is also not full of power users who constantly hold the device in their hands so that the adaptive energy management can find times when it can throttle the device to save power. However, it's hard to imagine anyone seriously wanting to keep the new MagSafe battery pack in their hands all the time to keep the Air alive.

Apple's caution in not immediately replacing the standard model with the Air can be explained by the compromises in terms of features, but certainly also by the higher manufacturing costs. The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max remain the safe bet for all those who don't feel like experimenting but want solid further development. In comparison, Apple is not offering them so many revolutionary features this year, but it is already offering some highly desired improvements, such as the Vapor Chamber as a possible solution to heat problems, a 120 Hertz refresh rate for all models, and a longer battery life.

With the Pro model, however, there is a suspicion of a slight change of course. The titanium much praised by Apple at its launch is giving way to aluminum. There was probably no other way to get to grips with current and future heat issues. This also makes it possible to use brighter colors instead of the sedate hues of previous years, although panic immediately broke out among some in the forums that there was no black underneath, only a deep blue.

In general, this year's event was less a showcase of records and data than an attempt to pick up buyers where the shoe pinches in everyday life.

The iPhone 16e in the spring already indicated that Apple's roadmap is influenced even more than before by the findings of market researchers. There are signs that in a market that is producing fewer and fewer truly disruptive products, the focus is now more on expanding as broadly as possible and satisfying different customer needs as precisely as possible. At the same time, however, this makes it more difficult to find universally valid answers as to for whom a model change is worthwhile—and for whom it is not.

Ace up the sleeve, but no guarantee of success

Then as now, Apple is likely to continue to rely on its ace up its sleeve: for many iPhone buyers, the well-functioning ecosystem is such a weighty reason to buy that it has made up for unfulfilled wishes when it comes to hardware. With the AirPods Pro 3, the Apple Watch SE 3, the Apple Watch Series 11, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, new generations of the popular accessory devices were presented on Tuesday, which ultimately also strengthen the iPhone. But beware: there are more and more moments when it hurts to look at the competition. This was exemplified in recent days when iPhone users complained in Apple forums that Google Pixel owners were able to take much better photos of the lunar eclipse than they could. Let's see if the new iPhones can ease the pain.

Apple cannot rely on the ecosystem bonus in the long term. With lavishly equipped hardware and a focus on artificial intelligence, Apple's competitors have identified two open flanks in Cupertino that they want to exploit for themselves. Nervousness among Apple's customers is increasing, even if the sales figures so far give no cause for concern. The positive signal sent out by the event is that Apple has obviously recognized the desire for more change and wants to break new ground with the first major redesign in years. However, it remains to be seen whether this is the right path and whether it will be taken decisively enough.

(mki)