iPhone 17 rumors: A19 chip details, smaller Dynamic Island, more

Apple analyst Jeff Pu is out with a new investor note this week with more details on what to expect from next year’s iPhone 17 lineup.

There’s also an interest twist on what to expect from the so-called iPhone 17 Air’s design…

iPhone 17 rumors: specs and design

There’s not much new in today’s report from Pu on iPhone 17 specifications. The investor note largely reiterates much of what he’s reported in the past, signaling that Apple’s plans haven’t changed.

In terms of design, Pu once again says that all iPhone 17 models will feature an aluminum design that is more complex than the iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will introduce a “much narrowed Dynamic Island,” while the other models will retain the current design.

The smaller Dynamic Island on the iPhone 17 Pro Max is made possible by a “metalens” technology for the proximity sensor. This “metalens” change has the potential to significantly reduce the size of the Face ID sensor.

Pu also says that the A19 and A19 Pro chips will both use a new N3P fabrication process, compared to the N3E process used for the A18 chips in the iPhone 16 models. This means we can expect improved performance and efficiency across the board thanks to an increase in transistor density on the A19 chips.

Apple isn’t expected to make the switch to TSMC’s next-generation 2nm fabrication process until 2026.

iPhone 17 Air design rumors

Last week, a supply chain rumor suggested that Apple had hit technical roadblocks in its plans to use a thinner battery design in the iPhone 17 Air. While that report seemed to suggest the iPhone 17 Air’s battery would be 6mm thick, Pu’s report today suggests that the iPhone 17 Air itself will be 6mm thick.

“We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model,” Pu says. The analyst goes on to say that he doesn’t expect the iPhone 17 Air to be a “high-volume model” due to the technical compromises Apple will make in order to achieve that ultra-thin design.

The iPhone 6 currently holds the title as Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever. It measured in at 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus measured 7.1mm thin. The 11-inch M4 iPad Pro measures just 5.4mm thick, while the 13-inch iPad Pro model measures 5.1mm.

• iPhone 16: 7.80mm
• iPhone 16 Plus: 7.80mm
• iPhone 16 Pro: 8.25mm
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 8.25

9to5Mac’s Take

I’d treat all of this with a big grain of salt for the time being. We are still 10 months away from the announcement of the iPhone 17, so Apple’s plans can and will change multiple times before then. I’m doubtful that the iPhone 17 Air itself will measure 6mm thin, but I’d love to be proven wrong about that.

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My favorite iPhone accessories:

• USB-C to USB-C cable with LED display
• Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand
• Satechi 165W 4-port USB-C Charging Station
• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker