Apple Execs on New iPhone Air: 'Try to Bend It' [Video]

Apple's Greg "Joz" Joswiak and John Ternus recently sat down with Tom's Guide and TechRadar to share insights into the design philosophy, engineering challenges, and strategic thinking behind the new iPhone Air. Their discussion touched on everything from durability and the decision to go eSIM-only to a classic non-answer on the prospect of a foldable iPhone.

The interview began on a light note when one of the reporters admitted to occasionally slipping up and calling the new handset the "iPhone 17 Air." Joswiak laughed it off—"You're listening to too many rumor sites"—before stressing that iPhone Air is an entirely new line in the iPhone family, not a follow-on to the iPhone 16 Plus. Ternus, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, added that the device was a "rethinking of the iPhone lineup," enabled by advancements in Apple silicon, miniaturization, and new materials.

When asked who Apple designed the iPhone Air for, Ternus described it as a device for "many customers who just really want an amazing premium iPhone experience" in a fresh form factor. Joswiak expanded on this vision, calling it the ultimate expression of Apple's goal to make technology "disappear." Holding the iPhone Air, he said, feels like "you're just holding a display," with the hardware fading into the background so the content takes center stage.


Of course, questions of durability were inevitable given the device's ultra-thin profile and memories of "Bendgate" with the iPhone 6. Ternus highlighted the engineering that went into addressing those concerns, including Ceramic Shield 2 on the front for three times better scratch resistance, Ceramic Shield on the back, and a grade 5 titanium frame. "We had lofty expectations and exceeded them all," he said. Joswiak echoed the sentiment, calling the device "incredibly strong" before challenging interviewers to "try to bend it."

The pair also clarified Apple's internal term "plateau," which refers to the area surrounding the camera system. Ternus explained it's not merely a bump—it integrates the camera, speaker, and even Apple silicon—freeing up internal space for a larger battery in the main body. The move to eSIM-only was part of that space-saving strategy. "The SIM tray is wasted space," Ternus said, with Joswiak comparing it to the "floppy disk of a mobile phone."

Finally, when asked if iPhone Air's thin design was a precursor to a foldable iPhone, Joswiak gave a classic Apple deflection: "We're focused on what we have here today."

You can watch the full interview below...