Taimur Asad on October 29, 2025, 7:17 pm

New Tests Show The iPhone Air’s Battery Really Can Last A Full Day

The iPhone Air has been on sale for over a month now, but some potential buyers have been put off by its relatively small battery. Now, a new report by CNET shows that they might not need to worry after all.

Apple’s iPhone Air has a smaller battery than some other models because of the way it was built.

In order to make the phone as thin as possible, Apple had to make sacrifices — and battery life was one of them. But testing by CNET shows that the iPhone Air has enough juice in the tank to get through a typical day regardless.

CNET has been running similar endurance tests for years, so it knows how to test these things. In fact, CNET’s Patrick Holland used the data collected through three years of iPhone performance data to figure out just how well the new models hold up.

While it is perhaps no surprise that the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers excellent battery life thanks to its huge size, the iPhone Air data might make for more interesting reading.

CNET tested battery life via video streaming tests, everyday usage testing, and an anecdotal stress test. And it was good news for Apple’s thin and light handset.

“Impressively, the iPhone Air has consistently lasted all day over the last several weeks I’ve been using it,” [CNET senior technology reporter Abrar] Al-Heeti said. “But I’ve hardly had to touch that MagSafe battery pack to extend battery life during the day, which is reassuring.”

Apple does of course sell a magnetic battery pack that can help users lengthen the iPhone Air’s time away from the charger. There are countless third-party alternatives, too. However, these tests — and anecdotal data collected by Redmond Pie — suggests you might not need one after all.