The iPhone Air Indeed Features a Single Speaker

By Mehtab Ansari • Updated On 10 Sept 2025

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TL; DR

The iPhone Air does not have a speaker at the bottom, as it only uses the earpiece for audio output.
iPhone Air is likely the only 2025 flagship with a single built-in speaker, unlike others that ship with stereo.
Apple cut the second speaker to achieve a 5.64 mm thickness and 165g weight, the thinnest iPhone ever.

Apple’s newly launched iPhone Air makes a rather odd move in 2025, as it ships with just one built-in speaker. The official technical diagrams confirm that the device only has a side speaker, with the bottom edge housing microphones but no second speaker grille.

This is a clear break from Apple’s usual stereo speaker setups found in almost every iPhone, including the latest iPhone 17 series. Even Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which is also ultra-thin, still manages stereo speakers alongside a larger battery and an extra lens.

ALSO READ: Apple Unveils AirPods Pro 3: Heart Rate Monitoring, 2X Better ANC, New Stem Design, IP57 & Better Battery

At just 5.64 mm and 165 grams, the iPhone Air is the slimmest iPhone to date. Battery life remains okay, as per Apple’s claims, with up to 27 hours of video playback, showing efficiency gains despite the reduced hardware.

ALSO READ: Apple Sneaks Anti-Reflective Coating into Every iPhone 17 Model, Including the iPhone Air

The compromise, however, is sound depth. Without stereo output, media playback directly from the phone will lack the richness and perhaps even the loudness found on competing flagships. Also, using the earpiece as a speaker is a very, very odd decision from Apple.

The iPhone Air is already available on pre-order starting at $999 / ₹1,19,900 for 256 GB, $1,099 / ₹1,39,900 for 512 GB, and $1,299 / ₹1,59,900 for 1 TB. The sale for the iPhone Air starts on September 19.

ALSO READ: iOS 26 & iPadOS 26 Stable Updates Announced: Check Release Date, New Features, & How To Install Here

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Mehtab Ansari

Mehtab Ansari is the Assistant Editor – Features & Reviews at Smartprix, where he writes about smartphones, laptops, audio gear, and everything in between. A computer science student by degree but a tech nerd by heart, he’s been into consumer tech for years and started reviewing products professionally in February 2024. He’s especially into photography and audio, often spending more time testing a smartphone’s camera than he probably should. For him, tech isn’t just work, it’s what he’s always thinking about.

Expertise

Smartphones, laptops, tablets, monitors, smartwatches, photography, and audio gear. I’ve reviewed over 60 products across these categories on Smartprix in the past year and a half.

Education - Bachelor of Computer Applications – Nizam College, Hyderabad (2022–2025) | Joined Smartprix -February 2024 | Published Reviews & Stories - 723

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