Maybe an unpopular opinion, but me. I think my current phone still has a gen or two in it, but I’ll probably go this route for my next upgrade. I don’t need all the features even my current phone has, and I’m a sucker for a sleek device.

As the owner of a 13 mini, I would point out that not all of us want big heavy phones, and I am happy they offer a lighter option. If Apple decides to offer iPhone-sized phones again, I hope they go with a smaller version of the Air.

Also no stereo speakers

At first I thought it was a return of iPhone mini, but with a more marketable name. That would make sense, as there’s a gap in the market for smaller phones - even on the Android side. People who got the older mini models are probably also starting to look for an update now.

Nah, it’s just a thinner phone. Hard pass.

The Air does not have a less powerful processor compared to the base.

To answer directly, people that value a thin, light phone over the other things.

You mentioned a few things like cameras and cinematic that I will never need.

I think it’s probably mostly a showcase of their tech. Like, “look how thin we can make a phone!”

Other than that, maybe a fashion accessory.

They had to take all that stuff out so that they have features to trickle back in over the next few years.

As some others have said, the main interest for some people is the lighter weight with a "plus" sized display, not the thickness or the other features they won't use.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 edge is slightly better example of that concept. The screen of a S25+ with the weight of the S25.

Chinese case makers and screen repair shops are asking for thinner phones.

These companies need to go retro.

It’s for two types of peoples

Those who want a thinner phone Those who want an Apple product with air in it’s name

This is just an innovation circle jerk imo, wait for the iPhone air pro 2 7g red edition (in midnight blue)

It’s for the people who usually buy the Pro but don’t actually use any of the Pro features and just like having the expensive iPhone because it’s a status symbol. It will do well. I myself would buy it were it not because I have an iPad Pro and would rather prefer a smaller phone.

Edit: I know status symbol in this context is used as a derogatory term usually but I mean it in a descriptive term. Same reason many buy a Rolex vs a Casio which is just as durable and tell the time fine. If you have the cash and don’t mind the compromises, go wild it’s a gorgeous device .

You know the SIM card slot was removed in favor of more battery? Someone in some YouTube comment section literally said "there's less air in the Air".

Jokes aside, the iPhone Air is for people who miss the 2016-2020 MacBooks for some reason. They were so thin that they actually sucked.

Thinner phone allows for more room for magsafe addons.

• Want more battery life? Magsafe battery
• Want a wallet? Magsafe wallet
• Want a kickstand? Magsafe kickstand

Thinner phone keeps everything pocketable while keeping utility.

I see many people buying that for how it looks, and I know many people who hate multi lens

I know many who don’t even take a lot photos

And I know many people who don’t want to go back to aluminium

I know many people who have the pro because non-pro feels cheap for them

I know many people who think pro is too heavy

And I even know people who want thinners phones, especially women, because it still fits better in the pocket and is less visible from outside

🤗those people are just not in communities like these, they buy and it shall work, no see no need to talk about it in forums

Some people complain about phones being too big, admittedly with different specifics: weight in the hand, how it sits in a pocket, etc. Apple tried with the Mini, but it didn’t sell well. One hypothesis for the lower-than-hoped-for sales is that not everyone who complains about the size of modern phones bought one because they didn’t want to give up the big screen. So now Apple wants to sell people a smaller phone with just as big a screen. Throw in the opportunity to start recouping engineering investments made in preparation for foldable devices, and I think the Air is a logical next try after the Mini and the Plus.

It’s for people that think the base iPhone is not performant enough, but don’t care about cameras on the pros. I briefly considered the Air, but was turned away by the less powerful processor vs the pro. For me, the camera is the least important feature on a phone, and if this had the same processing capabilities over the pro, I’d get the air solely because it’s cheaper than the pro. The air is literally a way for Apple to move people up the pricing ladder past the base models (especially now that the plus phones are gone).

It’s a test bed for the folding phone. That’s who it’s for.

It’s a test in production for the folding phone.

Two of those next to each other. The camera can be bigger, the battery is in two parts.

It’s for our moms

It’s the Plymouth Prowler of phones.

Not the best performance or the most practical, but the bet is that a group of people will gravitate to the design. Also, it will look good in a store window and the learnings from it can inspire other more popular future products.

And remember, the MacBook Air and iMac launched this way originally. The first versions were not super practical when compared to their sibling products. Eventually, as technology progressed, the form factor became easier to fill with practical hardware.