Pu: ‘iPhone 17 Air’ to be Thinnest Ever, A19 Chips to Use TSMC’s Newer 3nm Technology

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Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong industry analyst Jeff Pu says Apple’s next-generation A19 chip, which is expected to be used in 2025’s iPhone 17 and “iPhone 17 Air,” and the A19 Pro chip, which is expected to power the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro, will be manufactured using TSMC’s newer third-generation 3nm fabrication process called “N3P.” Pu’s comments came in a tech-related research note for the firm.
Apple currently uses A18 and A18 Pro chips in its iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 3-nanometer (3nm) “N3E” process. The A17 Pro chip that powered last year’s iPhone 15 Pro models used the chipmaker’s first-generation 3nm “N3B” process.
As you might expect, chips fabricated using the newer “N3P” process will have an increased transistor density over chips using the older “N3E” process. This will, at a minimum, modestly improve performance and power efficiency for the iPhone 17 models compared to iPhone 16 models.
Apple is expected to use TSMC’s first 2nm fabrication process for the A20 chips in its 2026 iPhone 18 lineup.
‘iPhone 17 Air’ to be Slimmest iPhone Ever?
In the same research note, Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor that Apple’s upcoming “iPhone 17 Air” will be approximately 6 mm thick. (Or thin, depending on whether you’re a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty person.)
“We agreed with the recent chatter of a 6 mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model,” he wrote.
If the rumors prove to be accurate, this rumored ultra-slim iPhone 17 model will become the thinnest iPhone ever, measuring just a bit thinner than the current slimness record of 6.9 mm held by the iPhone 6. That would also make the “iPhone 17 Air” about three-quarters as thick as the current iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.
While there will always be customers who would like to see an even thinner iPhone, the components used in smartphones limit the thinness of the devices. That said, if the device can measure 6 mm in thickness, it would still be an impressive feat, especially when compared to the increasingly bulkier models released over the past few years.
Although the “iPhone 17 Air” could take the crown as the thinnest iPhone ever, it would have a ways to go to be the thinnest Apple device ever. The 2024 iPad Pro lineup, which comes in at just 5.3 mm for the 11-inch model and 5.1 mm for the 13-inch tablet, currently holds that honor. Second place in the slimness derby is presently held by the last iPod nano, which was 5.4mm thick.
Several credible sources have claimed that Apple will release a significantly thinner iPhone 17 model in 2025. Although the device’s official name has not been announced, many refer to it as the iPhone 17 Air (although Pu has repeatedly used “iPhone 17 Slim” as a nickname).
In addition to being uber-slim, most sources agreed that the new and slimmer handset will boast a display measuring around 6.6 inches. Other analysts have said the device will be powered by a standard A19 chip, have a Dynamic Island, a single rear camera, and an Apple-manufactured 5G modem.
Last month, Pu said the “iPhone 17 Air” will boast a 6.6-inch display, an aluminum frame, Face ID, a 24-megapixel front camera, a single 48-megapixel rear shooter, and 8 GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence compatibility.
Apple won’t likely unveil the new iPhone 17 lineup until September 2025, so we can expect the rumors to develop further over the next 10 months.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]