Apple is making big changes to the iPhone 17 series, especially the appearance of the “Air” model that promises to open new doors for other product lines.
According to the latest information, Apple's next-generation A19 and A19 Pro chips will be manufactured using TSMC's third-generation 3nm "N3P" process. This new technology promises to bring many outstanding benefits compared to current generations of chips.
All iPhone 17 members come with the advanced A19 chip.
Currently, the A18 and A18 Pro chips in the iPhone 16 series are manufactured using “N3E” technology, while the A17 chip in the iPhone 15 Pro uses “N3B” technology. The upcoming 3nm N3P technology will have a higher transistor density, helping the A19 and A19 Pro chips improve performance and energy efficiency.
Haitong Securities analyst Jeff Pu shared the information in his research note, but he did not provide further details on the chip manufacturing process, yield rate, or when production would begin. This is of great interest because Apple has previously struggled to develop new technology due to unsatisfactory production yields.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be the thinnest iPhone ever, with a thickness of less than 6mm, while the current iPhone 16 is 6.9mm. This suggests that Apple is trying to break its own record. The company's rival Samsung is also said to be developing the Galaxy S25 Slim to compete with the iPhone 17 Air.
But the difference in cores and power gives the A19 Pro an edge over the A19.
The iPhone 17 Air will use the A19 chip manufactured on TSMC's 3nm "N3P" process to enhance computing and graphics capabilities. Although also manufactured on the same process, the A19 Pro chip will still be the highlight with more cores and superior processing power.
It was previously reported that TSMC would begin mass production of the A19 and A19 Pro chips in the second half of 2024, but it is unclear whether production has already begun. The A19 series will likely be the last generation of 3nm chips as Apple is expected to move to TSMC's 2nm process in 2026.
