I’ve been torn over the iPhone Air — but at this shockingly low price it’s the easiest recommendation I’ll make all year

Man holding the iPhone Air in portrait
Me, clearly enjoying the iPhone Air (Image credit: Future)

The iPhone Air turned six months old last week, and to mark the occasion, I let loose on what I love and hate about Apple’s most beautiful, most frustrating iPhone.

I essentially said that the Air, while jaw-droppingly nice to use, delivers a camera and battery experience that’s comparable to the iPhone 17e, despite costing almost as much as the iPhone 17 Pro. But Amazon just turned the tables on that whole argument.

I can’t quite believe I’m writing this, but the iPhone Air is currently just £699 (was £999) at Amazon. Yes, you read that right: £699. That makes it some £400 cheaper than the iPhone 17 Pro (£1,099) and, astonishingly, £50 cheaper than the iPhone 17, which is also on sale at Amazon right now for £749 (was £799). £999 is a lot of money to pay for a wafer-thin block of titanium and glass, but £699? The iPhone Air is absolutely worth buying at that price.

Not in the UK? Scroll down for the best iPhone Air deals in your region.

Today's best iPhone Air deal

Apple iPhone Air
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Apple iPhone Air: was £999 now £699 at Amazon

The iPhone Air is one of a kind. Apple's first thin-and-light flagship measures just 5.6mm thick, boasts the powerful A19 Pro chipset, and sports a beautiful 6.5-inch display. It's as fast as a Pro in daily use, and while its battery life isn't quite so impressive, you won't find a better iPhone for £699. This Amazon deal applies to the Sky Blue and Space Black models, but big discounts are also available on the Light Gold and Cloud White models.

As for why the iPhone Air's design is so impressive, the device is 31% smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro and a whopping 41g lighter, despite boasting a larger 6.5-inch display. It uses the same A19 Pro chipset, and also features the Action button, Camera Control, and Apple's flawless Face ID system, all of which are housed in the beautifully crafted ‘Camera Plateau’ on the phone's rear panel.

The camera itself is a single 48MP Fusion lens, which I've found to be an acceptable option in 80% of shooting situations, and while the iPhone Air's all-day battery life doesn't come close to the near-two-day battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro, it is comparable to the endurance you can expect from other iPhones costing £699 or less.

I've added a handy summary of how the iPhone Air compares to the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup below, so you can appreciate what you'd be getting for your money:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0

iPhone Air

iPhone 17

iPhone 17 Pro

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Weight:

165g

177g

206g

233g

Display:

6.5-inch OLED

6.3-inch OLED

6.3-inch OLED

6.9-inch OLED

Resolution:

2736 x 1260

2622 x 1206

2622 x 1206

2868 x 1320

Refresh rate:

120Hz

120Hz

120Hz

120Hz

Peak brightness:

3,000 nits

3,000 nits

3,000 nits

3,000 nits

Chipset:

A19 Pro

A19

A19 Pro

A19 Pro

Rear cameras:

48MP wide (26mm, ƒ/1.6)

48MP wide (26mm, ƒ/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2)

48MP wide (24mm, ƒ/1.78), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (8x optical zoom)

48MP wide (24mm, ƒ/1.78), 48MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (8x optical zoom)

Front camera:

18MP (ƒ/1.9)

18MP (ƒ/1.9)

18MP (ƒ/1.9)

18MP (ƒ/1.9)

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

256GB, 512GB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

Colors:

Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue

Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender

Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue

Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue


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CATEGORIES
Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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