iPhone 17 Air Now Said to Feature A19 Pro Chip With One Limitation

Apple's rumored "iPhone 17 Air" will be equipped with an A19 Pro chip instead of an A19 chip, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. However, there may be one limitation.

iPhone Air A19 Pro Feature
In a post this week, the leaker said the A19 Pro chip will have a 6-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but only a 5-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Air. This means the iPhone 17 Air would have slightly slower graphics performance for gaming compared to the Pro models, but the average customer is unlikely to notice much of a difference.

In July 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air would be equipped with an A19 chip instead of an A19 Pro chip, so there are now conflicting rumors about the device's chip. Kuo has a good track record with Apple rumors, while Fixed Focus Digital appears to have been the first source to reveal the iPhone 16e name of the device that succeeded the iPhone SE, so it is hard to say who is right here.

As for the base model iPhone 17, Fixed Focus Digital expects that device to have an A19 chip, which is another claim that conflicts with a previous rumor. A few months ago, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the device would have an A18 chip.

Here is an overview of Fixed Focus Digital's chip expectations:

  • iPhone 17: A19 chip
  • iPhone 17 Air: A19 Pro chip (5-core GPU)
  • iPhone 17 Pro: A19 Pro chip (6-core GPU)
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: A19 Pro chip (6-core GPU)

Here were the previous expectations from Kuo and Pu:

  • iPhone 17: A18 chip
  • iPhone 17 Air: A19 chip
  • iPhone 17 Pro: A19 Pro chip
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: A19 Pro chip

Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, so we will find out what the company's actual plans are in a few more months.

Related Roundup: iPhone Air
Buyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Buy Now)

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Top Rated Comments

Eric_WVGG Avatar
25 weeks ago

the people who buy the slim iphone going to be mostly people who are not tech users, men, women who want to use it as a daily driver and just want an iPhone

it will be the most talked about in the press but almost no one in tech community will get it . they get the pro or non pro version
I’m in the “tech community”

This is the first iPhone since the 13 Mini that I’m even intrigued by.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Le0M Avatar
25 weeks ago
This only means one thing: it won't cost below 900 dollars.
Mark my words.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlc1978 Avatar
25 weeks ago

Disagree. The 17 Air will appeal to many, including people in the "tech community," such as myself (an electrical and product design engineer).
Certainly. A few all complain about 'binned' chips and claim it's not suitable for port (water that means) while the rest of us simply buy a phone that meets your needs at a price we think is reasonable. For me, upgrades are driven by:

1. A jump in cellular speed; which was key when I used my phone as a hotspot, not so much now
2. Significant camera improvements, and not just 'better' post processing

As a result, my phones last at least 3 years and often more. I do not need the latest and greatest just to have one; I suspect many people in the tech community have similar viewpoints.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yimbaz Avatar
25 weeks ago
This is odd, unless the Pro version of the chip is more power-efficient. I'm looking forward to a slimmer phone precisely because I don't need that extra power.


the people who buy the slim iphone going to be mostly people who are not tech users, men, women who want to use it as a daily driver and just want an iPhone

it will be the most talked about in the press but almost no one in tech community will get it . they get the pro or non pro version
So, the majority of the market?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
25 weeks ago

Basically a nerfed A19 Pro to the point of it being A19 like on iPhone 16
Which will be absolutely fine for the millions of Apple customers who need and want a slim iPhone.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
25 weeks ago

the people who buy the slim iphone going to be mostly people who are not tech users, men, women who want to use it as a daily driver and just want an iPhone

it will be the most talked about in the press but almost no one in tech community will get it . they get the pro or non pro version
Disagree. The 17 Air will appeal to many, including people in the "tech community," such as myself (an electrical and product design engineer).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)