iPhone 17 Air: A19 Pro Chip but with a GPU downgrade?
I've been following the iPhone 17 rumors, and this one's a bit of a head-scratcher. A leaker on Weibo, Fixed Focus Digital, is claiming that the upcoming iPhone 17 Air will feature an A19 Pro chip, but with a twist. Apparently, it'll have a 5-core GPU instead of the full 6-core GPU found in the iPhone 17 Pro models. Now, this could be for a couple of reasons. Maybe Apple is using chips that didn't quite make the cut for the Pro models, or perhaps they're trying to manage heat in the rumored thinner design of the Air.
Think of it like this: Imagine you're baking cookies. Sometimes, you get a batch where a few cookies are slightly misshapen. You wouldn't throw them away, right? You'd still use them, maybe sell them at a slightly lower price. That's potentially what Apple's doing here with these "binned" chips. If Apple can get away with this trick, then the A17 Pro, while still fast, is still only going to be negligibly better than the base A17, and Apple gets more money for little additional effort.
However, other analysts believe that the iPhone 17 Air would use a standard A19 chip, rather than the Pro variant. What's interesting is that the same source also suggests the standard iPhone 17 will also sport an A19 chip. That being said, another supply chain analyst initially pointed to an A18 chip. It seems like everyone's still trying to get a handle on the real story.
Ultimately, I don't think most users would notice the difference in GPU performance during their day-to-day use. I mean, unless you're constantly playing graphically intense games or editing 4K video on your phone, it's probably not a deal-breaker. I guess the point to take away is that even in the most advanced companies in the world, things don't always go according to plan.
Of course, it is also worth noting that the same source accurately leaked the iPhone 16e name for Apple's upcoming iPhone SE successor. If the rumors are to be believed, Apple will launch the iPhone 17 lineup next month, perhaps on Tuesday, September 9, so we won't have to wait long to see what happens.
Source: Mac Rumors