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This doesn't make any sense... "if supply chain shortages can be overcome". The phone releases in less than 5 months; Apple isn't making any more tweaks to its feature set or manufacturing process at this point.
It's a mix change - easily accommodated in the time remaining
 
This Air is tempting but if no stereo and more importantly no SIM tray, it would be a problem, at least outside US.
Apple should manage to keep one Sim tray. e-Sim only phones suck
 


The rumored ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to the latest word from Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone-17-Air-Size-Feature.jpg

In a blog post today, the well-known Apple supply chain analyst said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. He previously only expected the iPhone 17 Pro Max to have 12GB of RAM, so this is good news for customers who will be purchasing the other models.

Kuo said even the base-model iPhone 17 might be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but only if supply chain shortages can be overcome. He said that Apple will make a final decision on the amount of RAM it will offer in this device by May.

All of the models in the iPhone 16 lineup are equipped with 8GB of RAM, so the jump to 12GB would be a significant increase. Increased RAM can contribute to improved performance for Apple Intelligence and multitasking.

Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in the iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM.

Kuo said the increased RAM will primarily benefit Apple suppliers Micron and SK Hynix.

Apple should announce the iPhone 17 series in September.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Air Now Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM Like the Pro Models
I wish they'd lose the freakin camera bump on all the iPhones. Personally, I'd prefer a lower spec camera if it would lose the bump. Current iPhones rock when you try to use them on a work surface and I am sure they are spanning the entire width of the phone with the bump to minimize that issue. However, the technology exists to eliminate that bump and I cannot figure out why it continues.
 
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Good to know about this. The increased RAM should be useful especially since more Apple Intelligence features are expected in the future. Even without using Apple Intelligence, it should be useful.
 
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The rumored ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to the latest word from Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone-17-Air-Size-Feature.jpg

In a blog post today, the well-known Apple supply chain analyst said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. He previously only expected the iPhone 17 Pro Max to have 12GB of RAM, so this is good news for customers who will be purchasing the other models.

Kuo said even the base-model iPhone 17 might be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but only if supply chain shortages can be overcome. He said that Apple will make a final decision on the amount of RAM it will offer in this device by May.

All of the models in the iPhone 16 lineup are equipped with 8GB of RAM, so the jump to 12GB would be a significant increase. Increased RAM can contribute to improved performance for Apple Intelligence and multitasking.

Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in the iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM.

Kuo said the increased RAM will primarily benefit Apple suppliers Micron and SK Hynix.

Apple should announce the iPhone 17 series in September.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Air Now Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM Like the Pro Models
So if all iPhone 17 models will get 12GB of RAM, does that mean the entire iPhone 17 series will start at 256GB?
 
So if all iPhone 17 models will get 12GB of RAM, does that mean the entire iPhone 17 series will start at 256GB?
No, it doesn’t mean that. One thing is RAM memory, which is usually on the SoC, therefore it is likely to have the same amount of physical memory in all the A19 chips (I said likely).

A different thing is storage, which is soldered onto the logic board, and they can choose whatever amount they deem necessary.

To be honest, I think we will see the base storage increase once they finally rise the prices of the iPhone. Some think it will be this very year, due to the tariffs, but I suspect it will be in 2026 once they start using the more expensive 2nm chips on their products. That’s when a base storage increase will make sense, in order to make up the price increase.
 
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