Apple fans conflicted over latest iPhone Air after lack of 'crucial' feature leaves them questioning upgrading
Many have been left stunned after Apple announced the unbelievably thin iPhone Air on Tuesday, yet you might have glossed over the fact that it's missing a 'crucial' feature that could end up being make or break for many Apple fans.
Current trends in the smartphone world are going in opposite directions, as one group of users wants as much as possible in their gadgets so we get chunky 'Pro' versions, whereas others want them to be as thin and light as possible despite the sacrifices that come with that.
Samsung already hopped on the latter train with the recently released Galaxy S25 Edge, and Apple has now joined the party following the reveal of the iPhone Air, which boasts a thickness of 5.6mm and an overall weight of just 165 grams.
While this is fantastic in theory, especially as it features a number of features that are typically exclusive to the Pro line of iPhones, it does come with a number of compromises that could end up being dealbreakers.
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What crucial feature is missing from the iPhone Air?
One particularly crucial feature that keen eyed fans have noticed missing from the iPhone Air is the lack of camera lenses, which comes naturally as a consequence of the much thinner design.
A post on the r/ios subreddit by u/Sammy1836 says it best, as they explain: "I like the idea of a thin device that has a lot of the Pro features, but the lack of battery life, camera etc has me leaning towards the Pro again."
Others in the comments have pointed out several aspects of the camera system that are now lacking, and looking at Apple's official comparison between the two it becomes even clearer.
The front camera is thankfully exactly the same and has all of the features you'd expect, but it's the main rear lenses (or lens, in the case of the Air) that things really start to separate.
The 17 Pro has 48MP standard, ultra wide, and telephoto lenses, alongside the option for macro photography, whereas the iPhone Air only has a 48MP main sensor with 1x and 2x zoom options compared to the 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x options offered by the Pro.
One perhaps unexpected difference that could make a greater impact than you might think is the lack of a LiDAR sensor in the Air, as this assists with high quality autofocus and measurements that could make a big difference with your photos.
Additionally, the Air is also missing the '4 studio quality mic array' that notably enhances the audio captured during videos, so if you're a TikTok or YouTube creator that exclusively uses your phone then it might not be the one for you.
How important are these differences?
Whether these missing features make much of a difference depends solely on how much you find yourself not just using your iPhone's camera, but also the full range of features and lenses that the Pro can offer.
If you just want it to snap the occasional picture from the main sensor then you might not notice a difference at all, but anything more than that and you'll begin to wonder whether the Pro is best for you.
It's also worth weighing up the benefits of the Air relative to the Pro, as that could help swing the decision either way. "I don't use telephoto or ultra wide much," writes one commenter in the thread, "but man I hate how heavy my 16 Pro Max is, so I'm taking a stab at the Air."
Others have noted that they carry a dedicated camera around with them all day so the photography aspect of the iPhone doesn't get much use, therefore these undeniable downgrades won't be noticed.