Less is more? Apple’s future vision from iPhone Air

The iPhone Air, the star of the Apple event on Tuesday evening German time, literally blows up a hint of future. At first glance, thinner and easier is always well received. But is the joy of it also sustainable? That still has to be shown. The big question mark is mainly behind the battery life in everyday life.

Plate, wrinkle, make invisible

It is a return to an old formula: According to the designer in the Silicon Valley, the perfect hardware seems to be the one who will eventually touch the degree of invisibility. Apple is not alone in this way: Samsung has already presented with his S25 Edge. If the rumors are right, the miniaturization that was necessary for the iPhone Air should even be a advance payment for a foldable iPhone in the following years. Two thin iPhones would then result in a fold.

This year, the Air will replace the fourth iPhone in the annual group, a historically quite problematic place in the line-up. It is where the rather hapless models Mini and Plus were located. The target groups they were to serve were apparently too small to keep the models on offer in the long term.

Apple is on the safe side

But is the Air really a guarantee of success in comparison?

The way in which it was introduced suggests that Apple appeals to a fashion -conscious target group that the device with the new retail tape is also happy to point out to the outside like a handbag. One that stands in the middle of everyday life with both legs, and therefore appreciates robustness that was particularly emphasized in this model. Perhaps this target group is not full of power users, which the device keeps in their hands, so that adaptive energy management can find times when the device can throttle the device for saving. It is hard to imagine, however, that someone wants to keep the new Magsafe battery pack on hand to keep the Air alive.

Apple’s caution not to immediately replace the standard model with the Air can be explained in the compromises in the equipment, but certainly also in the higher manufacturing costs. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max remain the safe bank for all those who do not feel like experiments but would like solid development. Apple does not offer you as much revolutionary things this year, but already some highly desired improvements such as the Vapor Chamber as a possible solution for heat problems, 120 Hertz Refrigeration rate for all models or a longer battery life.

However, the suspicion of a slight change of course arises in the Pro model. The Titan, which is much praised by Apple in its introduction, gives way to aluminum. Otherwise, current and future threatening heat problems were probably not to get under control. This also enables bright colors instead of the applied colors of previous years, although in the forums immediately broke out under some panic that there is no black one, but only a deep blue.

The iPhone 16e in the spring already indicated that Apple’s roadmap is influenced even more than before by the knowledge of the market researchers. It indicates that a market that is becoming increasingly less likely to produce disruptive is now more about expanding in width as possible and satisfying different customer needs as precisely as possible. At the same time, however, it makes it more difficult to find general answers to whom a model change is worthwhile for – and for whom not.

Ace in the sleeve, but no subscription to success

Then as now, Apple should continue to rely on its ASS: For many iPhone buyers, the well-functioning ecosystem is such a weighty reason for buying that it fought over open wishes for the hardware. With the Airpods Pro 3, the Apple Watch SE 3, the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, new generations of the popular accessories were presented on Tuesday, which in the end also strengthen the iPhone. But be careful: the moments when the view of the competition hurts are more. This was an example to read these days when iPhone users complained in Apple forums that Google Pixel owners get a lot more beautiful photos of the lunar eclipse than them. Let’s see if the new iPhones can relieve the pain.

Apple cannot rely on the ecosystem bonus. With lush hardware and the focus on artificial intelligence, Apple’s competitors have identified two open flanks in Cupertino, which they want to use for themselves. The nervousness in Apple customers is increasing, even if the sales figures have so far not given any reason. The positive signal that comes from the event is that Apple has apparently recognized the desire for more change and that with the first larger redesign has been wanting to take new ground with the first larger redesign. However, it will be shown whether it is the right way and whether it is decided enough.