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Apple's thinnest ever phone, the iPhone Air, is here. I was excited to see Apple depart from its usual Plus model lineup for the iPhone 17 family, but I was more than a little nervous at the prospect of an ultrathin model.
The device is only 5.6 mm thick, about the size of three stacked credit cards. But I have to ask: Did anyone really ask for a super-thin iPhone?
Apple's iPhone Air engineering claims sound promising...
Apple has loaded up the iPhone Air with better battery life and faster processing power via the A19 Pro chip. It's also got a 48-megapixel fusion camera on the back and a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto camera on the front. Apple said this is the most power-efficient phone it's ever made. It's likely to be a value-packed iPhone -- or at least it should be, since the prices start at $999 for 256GB. But none of that matters if the phone breaks, bends or shatters.
I'm not a total klutz, but I drop my phone occasionally. I throw it in my bag while running out the door, shove it in my pockets while on a run and toss it on the counter while cooking. I need a phone that can take a bit of jostling. I'm not convinced that Apple's thinnest ever model is going to be able to withstand all that, despite the company calling it its "most durable design yet."
At first bluff, it's hard to believe a phone so thin can be so sturdy. But when CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti reviewed the iPhone Air, she found that the model was able to hold up. It's good news, especially since it shows Apple has learned from its part mistakes.
The iPhone Air and Bendgate
When Apple released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, previously the slimmest model Apple produced, early users reported that the device would bend when they kept it in their pockets -- it became known as Bendgate. Apple said it only happened for a few iPhone owners at the time, but it was one of my first concerns when the iPhone Air was unveiled.
Read More: iPhone Air: Preorders for Apple's Thinnest Ever Phone Are Live. Save Up to $1,000
"The iPhone 17 Air is an impressive feat of engineering, and Apple went into detail about the device's design. Given the challenges faced with the iPhone 6 Plus, which resulted in the 'bendgate' controversy, Apple clearly wants to put minds at rest," said Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight.
Al-Heeti put the iPhone Air through a few durability tests, which you can learn more about in her full review. It held up better than I would've expected, undoubtedly. But I'm not sure I would be able to stop worried about breaking such an expensive device.
Slim differences in size between the iPhone 17 and Air
I keep thinking about how there's only a few millimeters between the width of iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air -- 7.95mm and 5.6mm, respectively. I am impressed with the engineering Apple has accomplished with the iPhone AIr, and I'm not trying to be a hater or get bent out of shape; If you want a super thin iPhone, go for it. But as someone who drops her phone too often and is just generally klutz-inclined, I would think twice before putting an expensive device at risk for a mere fewer millimeters. Thinner isn't always better.
For more, check out everything Apple announced at the iPhone 17 event.
