iPhone 17 Air May Get A19 Pro Chipset, But Also A Compromise For Slimmer Design

Apple’s iPhone 17 Air may sport the new A19 Pro processor, but with a notable reduction in GPU cores to five, according to Chinese tipster Fixed Focus Digital. This insider, known for his large following of over two million on Weibo, suggests that the more premium iPhone 17 Pro models will retain the full six-core GPU version of the chipset.

According to Macrumors, this is the second time in just two months that Fixed Focus Digital has shared information about the ultra-thin device’s chip details. The lower GPU core count likely indicates Apple is using binned chips due to manufacturing yields or aiming to control heat in the slimmer design. However, most users probably won’t notice any difference in everyday performance.

This revelation contrasts with earlier predictions by well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who anticipated the iPhone 17 Air would utilise the standard A19 chip rather than the Pro version. Fixed Focus Digital also claims the base iPhone 17 will use the regular A19 chip. Meanwhile, supply chain analyst Jeff Pu initially expected the entry-level model to be powered by the A18 chip but has since revised his forecast to the A19.

Fixed Focus Digital’s track record includes accurate leaks such as revealing the “iPhone 16e” name for Apple’s upcoming iPhone SE successor, reported Macrumors.

Apple is likely to launch the iPhone 17 series on Sep. 9. On July 13, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggested that Apple’s keynote event would occur during the week beginning Monday, Sep. 8. While Monday is possible, Gurman believes Tuesday, Sep. 9, or Wednesday, Sep. 10, are more probable dates for the launch.

This predicted launch date has been confirmed by a leak from German tech site iPhone-ticker.de. Citing information from German mobile carriers, the publication reports that all four iPhone 17 models — iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max — will be launched on Sep. 9. The handsets are then expected to ship the following week, with deliveries beginning on Friday, Sep. 19.

Price speculations around new iPhones are often uncertain. Each year, leaks and analysts forecast price increases.

In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple plans to raise iPhone prices later this year. The company is said to be attributing the increase to new features and design upgrades instead of tariffs.

Bloomberg mentioned in March that the iPhone 17 Air would be priced similarly to the iPhone 16 Plus, at $899 (around Rs 79,000) in the United States. This could make the iPhone 17 Air the most affordable option among the new lineup, despite its thinner body and possible compromises on battery life.