Apple iPhone Air preorders are live this Friday – here’s what time and the best deals available

If you’re looking longingly at the new Apple^[1] iPhone Air, then note that preorders for this stunning new device open this Friday worldwide. It’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting Apple launches in recent years, and this guide will help clue you in, if you’re ready to hand over some cash.

Just below, you can see the various iPhone Air preorder deals that we know will be coming this Friday. Several retailers are yet to list their promotions, but we know what Apple and several major carriers will offer. In short, you can expect discounts in the range of $700 to $1,100 off, depending on the retailer.

Note that preorders start this Friday at 5AM PST (8AM EST, 1 PM GMT, 10PM AEST), so there are still a few days to mull over your options. Included below is a brief overview of the device, but you can see our standalone iPhone Air^[2] page for more details.

In summary, the new iPhone Air^[3] starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799 and replaces the often overlooked iPhone 16 Plus as the model in between the standard iPhone 17^[4] and the iPhone 17 Pro^[5]. With that said, it’s very much its own model, with a powerful A19 Pro chipset and gorgeous new slim-line body that’s designed from the ground up to be as slim as possible.

Apple iPhone Air preorders in the US

Apple iPhone Air preorders in the UK

Apple iPhone Air preorders in Australia

What iPhone Air deals have been confirmed?

• Up to $700 / £670 / $1,205 off with trade at Apple
• Up to $1,100 off at major US carriers
• UK and AU networks TBC

We’re in a slightly awkward position right now in that we know the official Apple Store’s maximum trade-in rebates for unlocked devices, but several carriers and networks have yet to confirm what discounts they’ll be offering on the iPhone Air.

Things are most concrete in the US right now. Over at the official Apple Store, you can clearly see maximum trade-in rebates of up to $830 off at AT&T, up to $1,100 off at T-Mobile, and up to $1,000 off at Verizon listed on the iPhone Air’s product page. As of writing, only AT&T has product pages listed for the brand new models, but we’re expecting Verizon and T-Mobile to offer these exact discounts via their sites this Friday once preorders go live.

Unfortunately, details for iPhone Air preorder deals in the UK and Australia are much murkier currently. The official Apple Store hasn’t listed any trade-in rebates for third-party retailers yet, and the various network websites haven’t been updated with anything more than generic ‘register your interest’ splash pages. If any details do emerge, however, then I’ll be sure to update this page with further details.

Is the iPhone Air worth it?

We’ve just published our hands-on experience with the iPhone Air^[6], and so far, we’re definitely impressed with the phone. In terms of design, Apple has absolutely nailed both the weight and size of the device – and we love the smooth and sleek camera housing.

Right now, our main observations are that it looks incredible, but we are withholding judgment until we can really get to grips with and test this model. Questions remain over the various compromises that Apple has potentially taken to squeeze everything into that tiny chassis.

For example, while the iPhone Air features the same A19 Pro chipset as the iPhone 17 Pro, it lacks the latter’s new ‘vapor chamber’ cooling setup, which will likely mean its actual performance slots somewhere between the standard iPhone 17 and the 17 Pro.

Other potential issues could be the battery life and the single camera. The iPhone Air doesn’t have a separate ultra-wide camera or 8x telephoto like the Pro models, instead opting for a two-in-one ‘Fusion’ camera with three focal lengths and a 2x zoom. It’s definitely a little more limited in that regard, but the single camera housing does look much cleaner and neater versus the three huge lenses that Apple has crammed onto the back of the Pro models.