Four New iPad Pro Models Spotted in Chinese User Manual on Apple's Website [Updated]

[deconstruct60]

Some calculations. Number from wikipedia. A12X is 62 % larger than A12. An A13X at 7 nm would be nearly 160 mm2 if the same ratio applies and no optimisation of 7 nm node is done. A very larger chip and larger than A9X . No, there is a chance that A13X will use 5 nm just as A10X used 10nm before the A11 at 10 nm was introduced.

Intel is mucking around with "Gen 10" labels for 14nm and 10nm stuff. I highly doubt Apple would go down that twisted marketing labeling hole. if "12" then likely same fab level as other "12' stuff.

As announcement has illustrated, they simply just beefed up the A12X to the A12Z. ( symmetrical 8 GPU cores to match the 8 CPU cores had before. Wouldn't be surprised if that was the original design benchmark anyway and simply throttled back the GPU one 'core' to same a few bucks on wafer costs in the interim. ).

If they "sat' on the same A12 series Neural engine in the 'Z' then this is largely about margin. Shave some costs out of the SoC so that can pay for more expensive camera subsystem and keep the prices the same. [ Won't be too surprised to see this A12Z to show up in a revised AppleTV too. ]

 

[deconstruct60]

Perhaps. Counter-idea: A14X development hit a road block or the design goal changed to accommodate a changed product roadmap and A13X was deemed necessary because A12X wouldn’t stand up as well to A14?

Will A12X doesn't really point to problem with A14X. Either the A12X was 'too good' ( so they gimped one GPU 'core' ) or Apple couldn't get to a symmetric ( 8 CPU , 8 GPU ) set up and backed off to get around some issues ( maybe power consumption). Slightly better optimized 7nm libraries and maybe a small process tweak and Apple puts the 8th GPU back into the 'big' A12. Incrementally bigger so 'Z' instead of 'X'. A12Y would only encourage folks to has "Why A12Y ?" Instead it is why A12Z

The 14X may do same thing. Get it out (perhaps slightly throttled) and then do a bump in an year (or so ) on a then more mature fab process. As long as they have a safe lead in the phone/tablet space this will represent lower risk and higher margins for them. Not too surprising if adding other fab projects to the plate at the same time (e.g., chasing modems and modem integration now, more gap between ARM products ( detaching iPadOS from iOS ), etc. . ).

 

[MacBH928]

😐

Last time I checked, the iPads could run more than those two apps, so is this a dig at the fact they don't run macOS? Or that you can't do "proper work" on an iPad?

MacOS+apps still remain supreme when getting work done and is more capable. A macbook air is light enough and will last hours on a single charge and can do more.