Where the reviewers agree
- The phone is extremely thin and light, and reviewers praise how it feels in the hand. — TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Android Police, Pocket-lint, Wired, Android Central, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, Tweakers, Phonandroid, Trusted Reviews
- The single 48MP rear camera is the main limitation, with no telephoto or ultrawide lens. — TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Tech Advisor, Android Police, Pocket-lint, Wired, Android Central, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, Tweakers, Phonandroid, Trusted Reviews
- The display is bright and smooth, with a 120Hz ProMotion panel praised across reviews. — TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Tech Advisor, Android Police, Pocket-lint, Wired, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, Trusted Reviews
- The A19 Pro chip delivers strong, reliable performance for everyday use and demanding tasks. — TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Android Police, Pocket-lint, Wired, Android Central, The Guardian, Trusted Reviews
Where they disagree
- Battery life is seen as decent or surprisingly good by Wired and CNET, while The Verge and Android Central call it small or drains quickly. — Wired, CNET, The Verge, Android Central
- Reviewers differ on the value case: Tech Advisor, Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews say it is hard to recommend over the cheaper iPhone 17, while CNET and Android Police rate its compromises as acceptable. — Tech Advisor, Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, CNET, Android Police
Bottom line: Suits buyers who want the thinnest, lightest iPhone and do not need multiple cameras or long battery life. Main trade-offs are the single rear camera, average battery life, and a high price for the camera hardware offered.
Summarised with AI from the 14 reviews below — each one is linked in full.
What the reviewers said
Android Police US
8/10Nov 1, 2025The thinnest iPhone ever offers fewer compromises than expected; its single camera and battery are the main limits, but it is a delight for non-camera enthusiasts.
- Very thin, light, and comfortable to hold
- Strong build with titanium frame and IP68
- Bright, smooth 120Hz 6.5-inch display
- Center Stage selfie camera works well
- Reliable everyday performance and fast apps
- Single rear camera with no telephoto or wide
- Battery life and charging speed are compromised
- Slightly lopsided speaker audio
- Camera Control button rarely useful
- iOS 26 glitches and added complexity
Tech Advisor UK
3.5/5Oct 17, 2025Gorgeous, fast and superb-screened, but compromised camera, speakers and battery make it hard to recommend over the iPhone 17.
- Gorgeous, durable ultra-slim titanium design
- Excellent OLED display with high peak brightness
- Strong performance including gaming
- Strong main camera
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Weak zoom photography
- Poor, washed-out mono speaker
- Slow 20W charging
- Too expensive for what it offers
- No fingerprint sensor; eSIM-only
The Guardian UK
No scoreOct 15, 2025A remarkable, special-feeling ultra-thin design, but the single camera and shorter battery are hard to accept for most buyers.
- Extremely thin and light body that feels special
- Bright, smooth 6.5in display
- Good single 48MP rear camera for good light
- Top-tier A19 Pro performance
- Upgraded 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera
- Only one rear camera; no ultrawide or telephoto
- Battery life shorter than other iPhones
- Expensive for what it offers
- eSIM-only in all markets
- Single earpiece speaker, no stereo sound
Trusted Reviews UK
4.5/5Oct 9, 2025Apple's thinnest iPhone is a divisive but enjoyable design leap, durable and well-screened, though the single rear camera and battery life are real compromises.
- Extremely thin and light design that feels futuristic
- Good durability; no scratches after two weeks
- Bright 120Hz ProMotion screen at a comfortable 6.5 inches
- Excellent performance from A19 Pro chip
- Strong main camera for standard photos and video
- Single rear camera lacks telephoto and ultra-wide versatility
- Battery life falls short of the Plus-sized phones
- eSIM-only in many markets, no physical SIM slot
- Hard to recommend over the cheaper iPhone 17
- Misses several Pro photo and video modes
Pocket-lint UK
3.5/5Oct 7, 2025Stunningly light and thin with a striking design, but the single camera, weak battery life and glossy titanium sides are significant compromises. Best suited to style-focused buyers.
- Extremely thin and light, very noticeable in hand
- Bright 120Hz ProMotion display
- Performance handled demanding games and editing easily
- Doesn't run as hot as expected
- Feels durable with Ceramic Shield front and back
- Only one 48MP rear lens, no ultra-wide or telephoto
- Battery life is not stellar
- Glossy titanium sides attract smudges
- Camera low-light performance trails iPhone 17 Pro
- Expensive at $1,000 for limited camera hardware
Android Central US
4/5Oct 6, 2025A thin, light iPhone with a 6.5-inch screen and premium titanium build, but it trades away cameras, speaker quality and battery capacity. Best for those who prioritize thinness and lightness.
- Very thin 5.6mm body and light 165g weight
- 6.5-inch screen balances small and large phones
- Premium titanium design, sturdy in use
- A19 Pro, 12GB RAM and 256GB base storage
- Loud earpiece speaker for calls and quick media
- Battery capacity is small; power users need midday charge
- Single earpiece speaker lacks stereo quality and distorts at high volume
- No telephoto or ultrawide camera
- Accessories like cases or MagSafe batteries nearly essential
- Brightness throttling remains a display pain point
SmartWorld IT
7.5/10Oct 1, 2025A groundbreaking, impossibly thin iPhone with premium build and strong software, but it trades off camera count, audio and price.
- Extremely thin and light, feels remarkable in hand
- Excellent display with smooth, responsive performance
- Titanium build feels very durable, IP68 rated
- Main 48MP camera delivers strong photos and 4K60 video
- Good software integration and long update support
- Only one rear camera, no ultrawide or zoom
- eSIM only, no physical SIM support
- Mono speaker audio and no video output over USB-C
- Battery capacity is modest at 3149 mAh
- Expensive price for the compromises made
Phonandroid FR
No scoreSep 30, 2025A striking, very thin and light iPhone with polished software, but limited by its single speaker, lack of SIM slot, average camera setup and high price for gamers and photographers.
- Extremely thin and light design, easy to pocket
- Polished hardware and software optimisation
- Good stereo video capture via secondary microphone
- Large 6.5-inch display with modern LTPO technology
- Refreshed iOS 26 interface looks fresh
- Only one speaker, sounds mono and thin
- No physical SIM slot, eSIM only
- Camera lacks ultra-wide and macro options
- Expensive at around 1229 euros base price
- Off-centre camera bump makes it unbalanced on tables
Tom's Guide US
3.5/5Sep 25, 2025Remarkably thin, durable and fast, with A19 Pro performance, but the single camera and steep price are real compromises. Worth buying for those wanting a slim phone.
- Stunningly thin and light design
- Durable titanium build and Ceramic Shield
- Bright 6.5-inch ProMotion display
- Strong A19 Pro performance
- Good main camera and Center Stage front camera
- Only a single rear camera, no telephoto or ultrawide
- No faster charging
- Camera bump area can run warm
- Battery life behind iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Steep $999 starting price
Tweakers NL
No scoreSep 23, 2025Very thin, light and luxurious iPhone with a good experience, but compromises on single camera, battery life and sustained performance.
- Very thin and light design
- Excellent overall user experience
- Bright display with better antireflection coating
- Good front camera with Center Stage
- Long promised software support
- Only one rear camera, no ultrawide or telephoto
- Shorter battery life than iPhone 17 models
- Throttles more than other iPhones, weaker sustained performance
- Mediocre speaker sound and colour calibration
- Expensive for what it offers
CNET US
8.6/10Sep 17, 2025A thin, light iPhone that feels premium and proved durable in testing, though the single rear camera, weaker speaker and modest charging hold it back.
- Slick, lightweight design at 5.6mm and 165g
- Impressively durable in reviewer's testing
- Surprisingly good battery life at times
- 120Hz display with always-on option
- iOS 26 looks great
- Single rear camera with no ultrawide
- No Cinematic mode video
- Scaled-back speaker with only one at top
- Charging limited to 20 watts
- High $999 price
TechRadar UK
4/5Sep 17, 2025Apple's thinnest iPhone yet, a striking design with a strong display and fast chip, but a single rear camera and average battery life hold it back. Best for those who…
- Extremely thin and light design at 5.64mm and 165g
- Titanium frame and Ceramic Shield glass feel durable
- 6.5-inch ProMotion OLED display is excellent
- A19 Pro chip delivers snappy performance
- Single 48MP rear camera limits flexibility
- Battery life decent but not class-leading
- Gets warm during fast charging or heavy gaming
The Verge US
7/10Sep 17, 2025A remarkably thin and light phone that trades battery life and camera versatility for its slim design; best for undemanding users who value portability.
- Shockingly thin and light, easy to carry in pockets
- Noticeably more comfortable to hold for long periods
- Single 48MP rear camera produces good image quality
- A19 Pro chip performs well day to day
- Battery life is just okay and drains quickly
- No ultrawide camera
- Curved edges and smooth back make grip less secure
- Pricey for the battery life offered
Surprisingly decent battery life and performance for an ultrathin phone, but the single camera, weak thermals and high price limit its appeal. Best for early adopters.
- Incredibly thin and light, feels durable
- Better-than-expected battery life for its size
- Strong performance from A19 Pro
- Bright OLED with 120Hz refresh rate
- Reliable cellular performance with C1X modem
- Battery life may still disappoint heavy users
- Single 48MP rear camera is limiting
- Expensive for what it offers; USB 2 transfer speeds
- No mmWave 5G support
- Camera area gets very hot under heavy load
Verdicts, pros and cons are short summaries in our words of each publisher's review; scores are as the publisher gave them. Specs are taken from the reviews' spec boxes — where they differ, we show the value most of them give; price is the US launch price of the base model. Read the originals for the full picture.
