I finally got an iPhone Air

I saw a lot of strange phones at Mobile World Congress last month: Android phones, Cameras disguised as phones, Phones for dogs. But what surprised me most was my friend (W edge alum) brought Sam Byford to dinner: an iPhone Air.

“Ha!” I said. “Are you actually using this thing?”

He said: “Yes.” “it’s great.” That’s when he pulled out a second phone – Xiaomi Leica LeitzphoneWhich he was using next to him.

I said: I understand. The trick to enjoying the iPhone Air is to have another, much better phone with you at all times. I found this very funny and told the tale to anyone who would listen. But friends, I come to you with a confession. I think Sam’s right: the iPhone Air might actually be good.

Honestly, I didn’t really think so bad bad. I gave it a 7 when I reviewed it last year. The benefits of its slim profile and light weight are easy to understand, and it really makes an impression when you hold it for yourself. But a phone with worse battery life, one rear camera, and one measly speaker? At the same price as a regular phone? I kind of wrote it off as something weird that happened on my way to Apple’s foldable phone.

I picked up my iPhone Air review unit again after MWC when I needed to compare its camera to the 17E. after Review 17EI switched my eSIM to Air to see if using it for a longer period of time told me anything new. I thought I would tire of it after a week or so, but I didn’t. I got kind of hooked.

It helps that I don’t currently travel, and I’m rarely away from the charger for an extended period of time. My remote working lifestyle is very forgiving of a phone with poor battery life. However, it persisted during a long trip out of the house last week. I definitely plugged it in to recharge when I got home, since the battery was just over 20 percent and I’m sensitive to low power mode.

It’s no coincidence at all that when Apple loaned me the Air to review, it was sent as well Ultra-slim MagSafe battery pack To go with her. I’ve been using it during my next visit to Air, and not just as an insurance policy when I go out; Sometimes it’s nice to be able to charge the battery while using it around the house without having to tether myself to a wall charger. This got me thinking: Maybe MagSafe is the thing here.

One of the things I personally struggle with with the Air is its screen size. It’s a thin phone, not a small phone, and I still find it difficult to use it with one hand. But what if I click on a magnetic ring when I settle down to do some real scrolling? I started leaving one on a side table next to the sofa to have on hand for such occasions. When I’m done he gets off the phone. The Air remains as light and pocketable as ever.

I’ve also started using the MagSafe Wallet with the Air. I like the idea of ​​having a wallet on the back of my phone, but I usually find it to be a bit bulky, even without a case on any phone I use. But since the Air is so thin to begin with, I wouldn’t mind sizing up the wallet. It’s a super handy way to carry a few essential cards when I’m out running a quick errand, and when I get home I can just put them on the key tray.

You can also use MagSafe as a solution to one of the Air’s other weaknesses: its poor speaker. I mean the AirPods are there, for starters, which is good enough for me. But if you really want to get into the modular aspect, you can pick up a MagSafe Bluetooth speaker to mount on the back. Suddenly, this isn’t just a weird thin iPhone with a bad battery anymore. It’s a units phone.

I think the hardest thing to beat on the iPhone Air is the camera. Unless Apple is planning to release a Vivo-style camera lens system that can turn the Air’s rear camera into a true zoom when you need it, you’re stuck with essentially a wide-angle lens and a tiny 2x zoom in a pinch. But more people these days are okay with carrying a point-and-shoot camera as well as their phone anyway. So, if you’re not a huge fan of the look of the iPhone’s camera, the Air might be your excuse to bring a dedicated camera more often. Personally, I find the compact camera options good enough to carry around. But I’d be very tempted to try adding an ultra-wide adapter if I were to extend this experience longer.

I still think the iPhone Air is impractical for most people. You know, people who don’t carry two phones, or get emotional when they hear the words “Motorcycle modifications.” The battery will get worse over time, and the modular theory will probably start to age after a year of managing a small collection of accessories. I can see the novelty wearing off. For me, my time with the Air is over for now and I’m back to the 17 Pro. Would it be nice to have three physical rear cameras to choose from? And don’t worry about the battery lasting a whole day? that it. But I miss the iPhone Air more than I thought I would. And if it ended up being a weird side quest on the way to a foldable iPhone, it was at least entertaining.