Apple’s iPhone 17 series is already making headlines months ahead of its release, and not just for upgrades. A new investor note by analyst Jeff Pu suggests that the base iPhone 17 model may come with an A18 chip, not the expected A19 — a surprising move from Apple.
While earlier predictions hinted at an across-the-board A19 upgrade, Pu now claims only the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models will feature the newer chip, leaving the standard iPhone 17 with last year’s processor. RAM will also vary: 8GB for the base model, and 12GB for the rest of the lineup.
Also Read: iPhone 17 Pro Promises Bold Redesign and Game-Changing Features
All four models, however, are tipped to debut with a sleeker design thanks to metalens technology. This innovation could shrink the Face ID module, leading to a notably smaller Dynamic Island — a design shift that contradicts Ming-Chi Kuo’s earlier report suggesting no major change.
With bigger screens, 24MP front cameras, and faster 35W charging, the iPhone 17 lineup appears set to blend power with polish — just not equally across all models.
