iPhone 17 series: Titanium frames to A19 chips, what to expect from Apple

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup is expected to feature A19 chips across all models, redesigned frames, and a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air with a titanium-aluminium build

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Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 17 series later this year, expected to include four models: the standard iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air — likely replacing the Plus variant. According to a report by GSMArena, citing analyst Jeff Pu, the entire lineup will be powered by next-generation Apple Silicon, most likely the A19 series of chips. In addition to performance upgrades, the lineup is also expected to bring notable design changes, including a shift away from titanium frames on the Pro models and the introduction of a new titanium-aluminium alloy frame exclusive to the iPhone 17 Air.

Apple A19 chips across the iPhone 17 lineup

Contrary to earlier reports suggesting the base model would retain the current A18 chip, Pu claims the iPhone 17 will feature the newer A19 chipset. Both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are expected to be powered by the A19, while the Pro models may feature an A19 Pro variant with more GPU cores. Additionally, the Pro models are tipped to include faster LPDDR5X RAM, while the standard and Air models may stick with LPDDR5. 

Titanium alloy frame for iPhone 17 Air

Apple is also expected to make notable changes to the materials used across the series. Multiple reports suggest the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could revert to aluminium chassis, shifting away from the titanium alloy frames introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro lineup.

 

However, titanium is not expected to disappear entirely. According to a report by 9To5Mac, citing analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will reserve the titanium frame design exclusively for the new iPhone 17 Air model, likely to provide added durability while maintaining a lightweight build.

 

As per the report, Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air will have a “titanium-aluminium alloy metal frame, with a lower percentage of titanium than the current Pro and Pro Max metal frames.”

iPhone 17 series: What to expect

While the Pro models may lose their titanium chassis, a significant design overhaul is still anticipated. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to introduce a dual-finish design featuring an aluminium frame and a partial glass rear to support wireless charging, MagSafe, and potential pass-through functionalities. Apple may also relocate the Apple logo and adopt a full-width camera layout, replacing the traditional corner camera bump. The Pro lineup could also receive upgraded telephoto lenses with higher resolution.

 

  The standard iPhone 17, while retaining much of its predecessor's design, is tipped to gain support for ProMotion display technology, allowing for adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz — something previously exclusive to the Pro series.

 

As for the new iPhone 17 Air, it is expected to be Apple’s slimmest smartphone ever. Reports suggest it could feature a chassis as thin as 5.5mm — thinner than the iPhone 6, which currently holds the record at 6.9mm. To achieve this ultra-slim profile, Apple might reduce battery capacity and opt for a single rear camera setup.