The iPhone 17 could see Apple repeat one of its most controversial hardware decisions

• The iPhone 17 may not get a chipset upgrade, according to a noted analyst
• But a smaller and more efficient Dynamic Island could be added instead
• Other iPhone 17 models are expected to get chipset upgrades

A noted industry analyst has suggested that the iPhone 17 might not get a processor upgrade, instead launching with the same chipset as the current-generation model.

Jeff Pu, Apple analyst at equity research firm GF Securities, has suggested the next iPhone will skip the usual chipset upgrade and continue to use the A18 chipset found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

If this tipoff turns out the be true, it’d be Apple’s second time launching a phone without a chipset upgrade. In 2022, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus launched to mixed reactions when it was revealed that Apple had equipped both phones with the same A15 chipset found in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.

As PhoneArena reports, the iPhone 17 could be the only iPhone 17 launch model to come with an A18 chipset – the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are both expected to get the A19 Pro chipset, while the new iPhone 17 Air is tipped to get the A19.

Minor design differences

So, is Apple in for a second round of side-eye from critics and customers? Maybe. If the latest iPhone 17 rumors are to be believed, Apple’s next base-model flagship will be the only one not to get some kind of major redesign with this year’s series.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to get large camera bars a la the Google Pixel 9, and the iPhone 17 Air is tipped to get a new thin-and-light chassis with a single camera.

That would leave the regular iPhone 17 as the only one of its series without some kind of design update, drawing even more attention to its similarities to last year’s model.

A new Dynamic Island?

Separate rumors suggest that the next vanilla could at least benefit from a Dynamic Island upgrade coming to the entire iPhone 17 lineup.

Prior hints from Jeff Pu pointed to a reduced Dynamic Island using a metalens for Face ID, meaning a lens that compacts the transmitter and receiver into one component. As MacRumors reports, the suggestion was shared in an investor note issued by Pu earlier this month.

However, fellow Apple analyst and well-regarded tipster Ming-Chi Kuo said in January that they don’t expect much of a change when it comes to the size of the Dynamic Island.

We're expecting the iPhone 17 series to launch later this year. Would you buy an iPhone 17 that doesn’t come with an upgraded chipset? Would a smaller Dynamic Island be enough of an update to its design? Let us know in the comments below.

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