WHEN TECH MEETS TRANQUILLITY

Testing Apple's lightest iPhone yet amid the sands, sunsets, and boutique charm of The Park, Calangute

- Words By: Sohil Nikam

I'd arrived in Goa for a few days of work-meets-wanderlust, with The Park, Calangute, as my base.

The beachfront property, framed by swaying palms and rhythmic surf, felt like the right place to trial a phone designed for effortless living.

The Park isn't your typical luxury stay; it's boutique, bold, and buzzing with character. Every corner invites you to pause, frame, and share. The pool shimmers against the Arabian Sea, rooms are dressed in playful pops of colour, and there's a quiet intimacy that makes even the most connected traveller want to unplug.

But as a tech journalist, unplugging wasn't an option. I wanted to see how the iPhone Air handled real-world travel; the kind where you're hopping from beach shacks to scooter rides, juggling reels, photos, and notes on the go.

A TRAVEL COMPANION THAT DOESN'T WEIGH YOU DOWN

The first thing that stands out about the iPhone Air is, unsurprisingly, its lightness. After years of increasingly hefty flagships, this one feels almost liberating. Whether slipping it into my shorts pocket for a morning beach walk or pulling it out to film a sunset at the picturesque Purple Martini, the weight, or rather, the lack of it, changes how you use it. It encourages spontaneity.