With the iPhone 16 launch come and gone, the rumor mill has started to pick up steam regarding next year’s iPhone 17 series. However, through the muck and opaque tipster waters, it seems like we’re getting more of the same, which could be read as confirmation of already released leaks.
Analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International released a research note, seen by Apple Insider, where he outlined details of the iPhone 17 Air (or Slim) and potential features in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Pu’s note seems to confirm rumors that he has already released about the iPhone 17 lineup, but there are a few tweaks.
iPhone 17 Air / Slim
The iPhone 17 Air or Slim will allegedly feature a 6.6-inch display, and is supposed to replace the Plus model in the lineup. Something we’ve already known.
According to Pu, it will be powered by a 3nm A19 chip, similar to the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro models. This does seem to confirm that the rumored 2nm chip will be delayed to the iPhone 18 as reported earlier this week.
Additionally, he reiterated that the Slim will feature 8 GB of RAM, which lines up with notes he put out in May.
To obtain a lighter feel, beyond being ultra-thin, Pu has proposed that the Slim will be made out of aluminum, similar to the existing Plus model.
For cameras, he has suggested that it will have a single 48MP rear sensor and a 24MP front camera with integrated Face ID.
Vaguely, the note is supposed to assert that the iPhone 17 slim will have a “brand-new design” but what that entails was not made clear.
iPhone 17 Pro models
Apparently, MacRumors also had access to Pu’s research note and took away different information, mostly regarding next year’s iPhone 17 Pro handsets.
In their read, Pu reiterated previous claims that the Pro and Pro Max will feature a 48MP telephoto rear camera and a 24MP front camera. Currently, the Pro models feature 12MP versions of both cameras.
He expects the Pro models will finally make the leap to 12GB of RAM, something he claimed back in May.
Apparently, Pu believes that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will run out a “much narrowed Dynamic Island”, which he attributes to a smaller metalens for Face ID. How much smaller was not relayed but it would be the first change to the island since the iPhone 14 Pro models.
He apparently repeated his earlier claim the Pro and Pro Max will retain the 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes that debuted on the iPhone 16 versions.
Finally, he has claimed that Apple won’t split chips again and will continue using the same family of A19 chip across every iPhone 17 model, similar to how this year’s entire iPhone 16 lineup features some form of the A18 system on chip.
It should be noted, that while prolific, Pu has a somewhat hit-and-miss record with predicting Apple’s future moves. That said, the latest reports from him do appear to line up with similar rumors from more accurate Apple whisperers like Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
