Supply chain analyst Jeff Pu has already had a busy week of sharing supply chain rumors related to next year’s iPhone 17, Apple’s development of AI servers powered by M2 Ultra and M4 chips, and when we might finally see foldable devices from Apple. Here’s what he had to say.
What to Expect from the iPhone 17
Even though the debut of the iPhone 16 lineup is still a few months away, there are already rumors circulating about what we might expect to see from the iPhone 17 lineup that’s likely to debut in September 2025.
In a research note with investment firm Haitong, Pu said the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will both boast 12GB of RAM. The current iPhone 15 Pro models are equipped with 8GB of RAM and the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to stand pat on that number. An increase of 4GB is a considerable jump in RAM and would contribute to improved multitasking performance on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The rumored RAM amounts for the iPhone 17 lineup are:
- iPhone 17: 8GB
- iPhone 17 Slim: 8GB
- iPhone 17 Pro: 12GB
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 12GB
The current iPhone 15 lineup contains:
- iPhone 15: 6GB
- iPhone 15 Plus: 6GB
- iPhone 15 Pro: 8GB
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 8GB
Pu also said the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a “much narrowed Dynamic Island” due to the device adopting a smaller “metalens” for Face ID. If Pu is correct, this would mark the first size reduction for Dynamic Island since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in 2022.
Apple AI Servers
Pu says Apple has begun building its own AI servers, powered by its M2 Ultra chip.
Pu says his analysis is based on supply chain checks that indicate Foxconn is currently building AI servers for Apple powered by the M2 Ultra, with plans for more AI servers in late 2025 that use the M4 chip Apple debuted today in its 2024 iPad Pro lineup.
Last month, a rumor posted on Weibo said Apple was developing processors to be used in its in-house AI servers that would be fabricated using TSMC’s 3nm process. Apple is said to be targeting mass production by the second half of 2025.
Apple’s decision to build its own AI servers is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to vertically integrate its supply chain. By the time Apple has M4-based servers in its data centers, the Cupertino firm’s new AI strategy should be well underway.
Pu also expects Apple to announce on-device AI features at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The features could include audio recording summarization, photo and video editing, and on-the-fly language translation. While the iPhone 16 lineup will include a range of AI features, the iPhone 17 models will likely be more focused on AI.
Apple’s First Foldable Devices
Pu also claims Apple’s first foldable devices will go into mass production in 2025 and 2026. Pu said that foldable devices are increasingly visible in Apple’s supply chain. The company is expected to release a foldable iPad or MacBook as its first foldable device before it launches a foldable iPhone.
Apple is rumored to be readying a foldable with a 20.3-inch display for production in late 2025. Information from Korean display makers, along with American and Taiwanese hinge manufacturers supports that timeframe.
Once Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, Pu believes it will feature a 7.9-inch or 8.3-inch display. At this point, it is unknown whether Apple will launch a pair of foldable iPhones with these two display size options, or whether it will produce a single display size option only. The foldable iPhone is currently expected to begin mass production sometime in late 2026.