Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15

[NyCeEvO]

This would be the first time Apple’s ever done this… Not saying it won’t just that it’s completely out of character and would break with the each-chip-represents-each-gen trend that started with the original iPhone.

There’s a first time for everything.

And considering Apple’s lead in performance over the competition, I actually find it believable. Apple can afford to hold back the SoC in the base models for a year, because the competition hasn’t caught up. Additionally, this decision alone would cause a significant number of users (who usually choose the standard over the Pro line due to the latter not having enough significant features to justify the price jump) to consider buying the Pro version.

While it wouldn’t be good for consumers, it would good for Apple’s bottom line and its shareholders.

 

[maerz001]

The fact that they have a M1 chip in iPad Pro and don't have software to actually make use of it, highlights disappointment and overkill for these chips in small devices (RIP WWDC2021). My iPad Pro M1 has not been touched in 5 months and only use it for updating the apps to keep the system up to date.

Sounds like you dont have any use at all for an ipad. No matter what chip is inside

 

[MayaUser]

Not sure why some people don’t want to believe this rumor. It would make total sense for Apple to offset and mitigate the effects of the global chip shortages by using the newer processor in the Pro models only. It might be just a one-off for this cycle.

the chip shortages were the worst in 2021 not in 2022 mid to fall...
So if apple had any issues with it, they would made this move with the current iphone line-up
And lets not forget this account also said that the mac pro is an 2023 device and at the event Apple for the first time, they told us that the mac pro with apple silicon is coming

 

[AlixSPQR]

We have contacted Ming-Chi Kuo at TF International Securities directly and can confirm that the @mingchikuo Twitter account is indeed him.

check again, or come with your proofView attachment 1972855

Please see Mr Hartley's post above. He's an editor with MR.

 

[NyCeEvO]

Not sure why some people don’t want to believe this rumor. It would make total sense for Apple to offset and mitigate the effects of the global chip shortages by using the newer processor in the Pro models only. It might be just a one-off for this cycle.

I agree, but I don’t think it would be a one-off. I can easily see Apple doing this so long as they have a discernible lead in performance of over the SoCs of the competition.

Apple will tell insiders that the change is due to the chip shortage, when in reality it’s just a convenient way for Apple to upsell more consumers on the Pro line.

 

[kirk.vino]

the chip shortages were the worst in 2021 not in 2022 mid to fall...
So if apple had any issues with it, they would made this move with the current iphone line-up
And lets not forget this account also said that the mac pro is an 2023 device and at the event Apple for the first time, they told us that the mac pro with apple silicon is coming

Not true. Try buying a PS5 now. It’s harder than it was in 2021. The second-market prices are again higher than they were back in January. The chip shortages will not ease until at least 2023. Also, the war in Ukraine and all the logistics around it are all impacting it as well. There are already reports of component shortages related to this.

Car Parts, Chips, Sunflower Oil: War in Ukraine Threatens New Shortages

The Russian invasion has shut down auto factories, hit supplies for the steel industry and severed transportation routes. Commodity prices are soaring, including for sunflower oil, natural gas and wheat. The two countries combined account for 80% of the world’s sunflower oil.

www.wsj.com

“The disruption of commodity and raw materials supplies from Russia and Ukraine could worsen a global semiconductor shortage that has already been roiling businesses world-wide. U.S. semiconductor makers import neon gas, the chemical compound hexafluorocyclobutene, and palladium, which are used to make chips, almost entirely from Russia and Ukraine, according Techcet, a research group that analyzes dependency on critical materials used in manufacturing.”

 

[uller6]

Sure, that would make sense.

Yes, a lot would still opt for the 14 if display and other components are upgraded. But a large chunk would opt for discounted 13s and 13s Pro, maybe SE 2022s (Apple can't stop retailers from selling the old models).

Apple might find other ways to make the standard iPhone 14 appear high value. But it could prove to be catastrophic for sales if it's the same step down from Pro to standard as we've seen previous years but on top of that doesn't get the full chip upgrade.

I think we might see some strange moves to mitigate rising prices and supply chain crunch. Maybe Apple will use this opportunity to completely discontinue both 13 and 13 pro models and replace them with the 14 series. Then, instead of dropping the price of all the older phones in the lineup by $100, they might keep all other downmarket phone prices the same. Apple gets $100 more profit from their older devices still on the market, and avoids direct cannibalization of the 14 series if they need to keep running them on A15s.

Or, maybe the A16 will in fact be the A15 with some minor process tweaks and renamed A16 for marketing reasons.

 

[lazyrighteye]

It’s not really Kuo. Unverified account that has been posting ridiculous rumors.

I thought Kuo confirmed it was his Twitter account.

 

[B_mark_R]

I think the better move for Apple would be to put the M-series chip in the pro and latest A-series in the base iphones.

 

[rgwebb]

This would be an incredibly strange move that could be forced due to supply constraints but I lean towards this being full of ****.

 

[Bug-Creator]

I think the better move for Apple would be to put the M-series chip in the pro and latest A-series in the base iphones.

Even if they can make enough M2 chips for the iPhonePro and even if that is based on A16 it would still have a too high TDP to make any sense in a phone.


So please for the love of Spock stop with this "just put an M1 into this and that" BS. They are for all intents and purposes nothing special but just an A-series with more cores plus some odds and ends thrown into it.

 

[Mike82]

Those are just names made up by marketing.

Sure they added a bunch of stuff needed for a Mac and emulating x86 code but in the end it's the same 2020 A14 cores in the new iPadAir. Just a few more of them which I think is odd. Almost as odd as not updating the iPhone14 to A16.

So you would rather have seen a slower A15 in the iPad Air?

 

[bluecoast]

Hey, I have a question for you, MacRumors forum members: Do you think, if this ends up being true in September, the iPhone 13 and 13 mini could disappear from the lineup just to be replaced by the 14 and 14 max?

If the rumours are true, yes, because (presumably) the regular 14 will drop in price nearer to the where the mini sits. And usually that’s where the 13 would sit (when the 14 is released).

 

[lazyrighteye]

We have contacted Ming-Chi Kuo at TF International Securities directly and can confirm that the @mingchikuo Twitter account is indeed him.

@cmaier we good?

 

[Bug-Creator]

So you would rather have seen a slower A15 in the iPad Air?

I don't care one way or the other. Updating to more cores of the same gen seems odd, thats all I was saying and that is the only reason why I won't discard the topic at hand as pure BS.

 

[staypuftforums]

So same chip, same camera sensor, still USB 2.0 Lightning port...

And same design.

"We think you're going to love it."

 

[no_idea]

And I doubt with an older chip, you would see the iPhone 14 base models have a lower entry price.

 

[_Spinn_]

This makes no sense. I don't think Apple would do this.

 

[ouimetnick]

Thinking this is smoke and mirrors. A16 base M1 in Pro

The M1 in it’s current form wouldn’t fit inside an iPhone. The RAM is off package and the SOC is larger than the A14 (that M1 is based on)

 

[JM]

We have contacted Ming-Chi Kuo at TF International Securities directly and can confirm that the @mingchikuo Twitter account is indeed him.

Plot twist: Ming-Chi is on Apple payroll to keep our expectations low 🤣

 

[FelixDerKater]

8GB. It's time.

 

[Quackington]

It’s becoming more clear that this isn’t really Kuo on twitter.

I feel like I've read in one of the MacRumors stories earlier this week where they wrote that Kuo confirmed that it is indeed his account (unless I misread that).

 

[Mega ST]

This makes the new SE3 even more attractive by bang for the buck ratio.

 

[snipr125]

This rumour is complete nonsense, there is no way they would retain the previous gen A chip in a new iPhone. All the iphone 14 models will have the A16 chip. The Pro models will probably have an extra GPU core like the current line up, but all will have the base A16 architecture (neural engine etc).

 

[rumz]

If that’s the case I would definitely quit the upgrade programme. No reason to upgrade to a phone with the same cpu of the one it replaces, especially if everything else is underwhelming as it seems it’s going to be.

Yeah I exited the upgrade program last fall. It used to be exciting to update every year… i just don’t feel like it’s that big of deal anymore (others may feel differently. But for myself… I just don’t get excited about new iPhones like I used to.)