The entire iPhone 17 lineup was previously reported to be treated with 12GB RAM, but only if Apple successfully managed to overcome its supply chain issues. Unfortunately, it appears that this is one obstacle that the company may not scale because an analyst provides some details concerning the base iPhone 17’s specifications, and to say that they are disappointing is a gross understatement. Additionally, this particular model will not feature the A19 as part of its innards, with Apple apparently sticking with the A18 found inside the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

Base iPhone 17 specifications are possibly a reminder that Apple is taking a step back to reduce component costs, but the report claims that iPhone 17 Air will offer both a memory and chipset upgrade

A research note from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu was spotted by MacRumors, mentioning the base iPhone 17’s specifications. On paper, the remaining three models belonging to Apple’s flagship family will be significantly superior, because not only is this version expected to retain the 8GB RAM count as its immediate predecessor, but it will not be treated to the A19 either. Instead, the A18 will find its way in the iPhone 17, making it a significant downgrade compared to the rest of the lineup.

To witness the two upgrades in unison, potential buyers might have to pick the iPhone 17 Air as their daily driver, as the latter will be equipped with an A19 that is said to be mass produced on TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process, along with 12GB RAM. What is interesting about these claims is that earlier, we reported that only the ‘Pro’ models will feature the memory upgrade, along with a vapor chamber cooler to keep the A19 Pro’s thermals in check.

It is possible that Apple is forced to introduce these downgrades to the base iPhone 17 because it will add an LTPO OLED panel to the mix, giving the device a high refresh rate option. Then again, the iPhone 16 managed to become the world’s best-selling smartphone for Q1 2025 without shipping with the aforementioned upgrade, but Apple could make these trade-offs because an LTPO OLED will be a costly component.

Given that the base iPhone 17 will likely be mass produced in the millions, it is a clear case of reducing manufacturing costs. Hopefully, Pu is incorrect in his assessment, but we can only be sure when Apple officially announces the new series in September.