Nearly 10 months ahead of its anticipated release, rumors about the iPhone 17 series continue to surface. The latest speculation centers around the A19 chip, predicted to power the entire 2025 iPhone 17 lineup. Analyst Jeff Pu, as reported by MacRumors, suggests that these chips will be manufactured using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process, known as “N3P.”
The rumor mill indicates that the iPhone 17 and “iPhone 17 Air” will house the standard A19 chip, while the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will boast the more powerful A19 Pro. Both chip variants will leverage TSMC’s N3P process. This represents a notable advancement from the current iPhone 16 series, which utilizes A18 chips built on TSMC’s “N3E” process.
What Does N3P Mean for iPhone Users?
The transition from N3E to N3P signifies potential improvements across several key areas. Users can likely expect enhanced power efficiency, faster processing speeds, and extended battery life compared to the iPhone 16 series.
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus on charge.Image: The Apple iPhone 16 Plus on charge. (Andy Boxall / MaagX)
These projected advancements align with Apple’s historical trend of year-over-year performance gains. The A18 Bionic chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, for example, delivers up to a 30% CPU performance boost and a 40% GPU improvement over the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The 3nm-based A18 Bionic chip also boasts superior power efficiency compared to its predecessor, contributing to longer battery life and cooler operating temperatures.
A18 Pro: Powering the iPhone 16 Pro Models
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are equipped with the A18 Pro chip, also built on an advanced 3nm process. This chip offers a modest speed increase over the A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, coupled with a substantial leap in graphics performance. Battery life has also seen significant enhancements. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for instance, offers up to 33 hours of usage between charges, a considerable improvement over the 28 hours offered by the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Someone holding the iPhone 16 with the display on.Image: Someone holding the iPhone 16 with the display on. (Joe Maring / MaagX)
Looking Ahead to the A19
While the precise enhancements the A19 chip will bring over the A18 remain to be seen, expectations are high.
The iPhone 17 Lineup: What to Expect
The 2025 iPhone 17 lineup is expected to comprise a standard iPhone, an iPhone Pro, and an iPhone Pro Max. Intriguingly, rumors suggest an “iPhone 17 Air” might replace the iPhone Plus model. Speculation points to this potential new addition being the thinnest iPhone yet.
Anticipated Launch
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series in September of next year.
