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Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15
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I presume you mean as an upgrade from last years iPhone? Still faster than any android, even with Samsung caught cheating again
The people believing this rumour seriously need to have their brains examined.
I’m just afraid it’ll become the new norm. Like the automotive industry delivering vehicles without the chips and charging the same prices. The chips that were suppose to come with the devices, will become a premium. Standard devices will keep the now dated chip. Higher profits for them, to the customers detriment, with no new innovation or feature. They won’t want to make the devices too different, and make an entirely new category.
I can see it especially with the chip shortage.
Plus, these phones line are coming closer and closer together.
With the non-Pro set to be offered in a MAX size, they don't want too much downgrading to non-Pro models.
I'm ok with it.
Plus, these phones line are coming closer and closer together.
With the non-Pro set to be offered in a MAX size, they don't want too much downgrading to non-Pro models.
I'm ok with it.
It's not an utterly absurd rumor.
The A16 (and probably the M2 as based on the same core) offer Apple a new "reset/restart" point in various ways at the hardware level. One can imagine various things like
- ARMv9
- drop support for LPDDR4
- new interrupt architecture
- new virtualization architecture
- new GPU design
- etc etc
Point is, such a reset comes with various issues
(a) older SW no longer works (eg drop GPU features that Apple has been warning about for past few years)
(b) maybe even older HW no longer works (if Apple drops some obsolete modes from Lightning, or BT, or WiFi?)
(c) if you drop LPDDR4 support, you, duh, have to use LPDDR5...
So what are the knock-on effects?
- If LPDDR5 is not available in large enough quantities then Apple cannot transition the entire iPhone line to LPDDR5.
It doesn't even have to be LPDDR5. There could be something else (eg MRAM, or a new type of flash) that Apple wants to make a foundation for the next few years of Apple designs, but which is in too short supply for the entire iPhone base.
If eg Apple drops some obsolete functionality in, eg, the internal PCIe or USB controllers, that may not seem to affect the outside world, but it then constrains what cameras, displays, etc can be connected.
- if you transition at the higher end first, the low end gets an additional year during which SW and HW are updated, while the high end is already more likely to be using more modern SW and HW.
This is, of course, a substantial reason Apple continues to ship such nice devices, the willingness to drop obsolete functionality in their chips (which not only reduces area but, more importantly, reduces validation time and allows for design ideas that would not be feasible if they also had to work with the obsolete way of doing things).
This makes sense since TSMC raised their prices, so Apple will have to foot the bill, but no businesses would ever want to reduce their margins so the costs will ultimately be passed onto consumers.
If this year’s non ‘pro’ models are getting last year’s A15 without a reduction in price tag then it is effectively a price increase since you’re paying more for less. I think this could drive more people towards buying the pro models since few people would want to buy a new phone with last gen performance, effectively also driving up the iPhone’s average selling price.
On the bright side, the A15 in 2022 will most likely be the #2 fastest phone chip next to A16, and there is a possibility iPhone 14 could get the non binned 5 core GPU version.
If this year’s non ‘pro’ models are getting last year’s A15 without a reduction in price tag then it is effectively a price increase since you’re paying more for less. I think this could drive more people towards buying the pro models since few people would want to buy a new phone with last gen performance, effectively also driving up the iPhone’s average selling price.
On the bright side, the A15 in 2022 will most likely be the #2 fastest phone chip next to A16, and there is a possibility iPhone 14 could get the non binned 5 core GPU version.
Damn that’s sad to hear. Used to love listening to him 10+ years ago.
Could one make the counter argument to you? If that’s the case, then why don’t you provide some contrary evidence that says otherwise.
...so.
Almost the same design and the same chip as the previous generation; a very compelling product!
if that'll really be the case, Apple would be more honest deleting the normal iPhone alltogether.
Anyway I can't see them justifying the new phone with the previous chip.
Almost the same design and the same chip as the previous generation; a very compelling product!
if that'll really be the case, Apple would be more honest deleting the normal iPhone alltogether.
Anyway I can't see them justifying the new phone with the previous chip.
totally agree. That's how 9to5mac works: just assume things without actually confirming stuff. Lazy people over there.
It’s like claiming the next iphone will come without the display. You know there’s no chance in hell of this happening, but no one can really prove or disprove this until the next iphone is actually released.
I can only say this going by past trends. The only time a phone got a slower processor is the 5c, for every other year, all the iPhones released in a particular year have all gotten the same chip. It’s simply cheaper and easier for Apple to manage, cost and quantity wise.
At this point, we only have the word of a self-proclaimed analyst whom, to term less charitably, basically traffics in stolen intel obtained via dubious means, and whose track record has gotten very questionable of late.
It just feels more like a way of manufacturing outrage and drawing more attention to himself. My guess is that closer to the release date, he will “magically” release another update claiming that all iPhones will now sport the same chip, spinning some BS like how Apple has managed to work out their supply constraints, when they never planned to use 2 different types of processors.
Pretty much everyone thought the same thing with respect to Apple discontinuing the 27" iMac yet here we are. Never say never.
Given that apple has stated last year that they are coming down on leakers, the fact that we hardly hear about Prosser anymore, German running dry - why would Kuo up his "game"? to get Apple's attention?to up his reputation? sorry, doesn't convince me ...
But, to your last comment re TSMC, if I were a client of Kuo I would ask why is Apple doing this? the iPhone is Apple's primary revenue driver, keeping an "old" chip in a new iPhone would make me wonder what the implications are for unit sales/revenue/margin and implications to AAPL stock price ...
Man Kuo has been on a roll these last couple weeks with all wrong information, trying to drop his accuracy rating I guess, maybe there’s some inside betting going on and his odds just got up to some crazy profitable numbers that just couldn’t be resisted
Your question is like asking, "Why does Kuo want more clients? Why does Kuo want to make more money?"
Prosser, Gurman are all white guys without links to the supply chain and can't even speak Mandarin. Kuo is in Taiwan and can literally sit outside the TSMC parking lot and invite staff out for drinks. How can Apple stop that?
What do you mean "Why is Apple doing this?" It should be obvious. For the past few years, Apple has used display size as the separator between Pro and non-Pro. Now that the 6.1- and 6.7-inch models are identical, Apple needs more differentiation. Telephoto, LiDAR (which nobody uses), and 1-core GPU difference aren't enough. How does Apple raise ASP without raising prices? Drive more customers towards Pro.
That's certainly one way to look at it and is probably part of the picture.
But still, I doubt this is actually what's going to happen as you just can't make any 12 or older owners feel they need the newest (standard) iPhone 14 if it doesn't appear as an obvious, valuable upgrade to what they already own, or the iPhone that launched last year.
Just look at the 2022 SE: Despite how far ahead Apple is, Apple could not sell it for $429 if it didn't have the A15. If it had anything less than that, the SE 2022 would have to get major upgrades to all other specs.
There's always a value proposition for the consumer that not even Apple can get around.
Apple will have to put "Pro" specs in the standard iPhones 14, like ProMotion, three Pro cameras, LiDAR, higher brightness, etc., if the overall value and pricing is to remain at $799 for the standard iPhone 14.
But this would shift and mess up Apple's entire product segmentation strategy, because then what's left for iPhones Pro to make them feel like a step up, the premium option? Just the A16 chip? That's not enough.
I only see the standard iPhone 14 sticking to A15 if the $799 starting price at launch goes way, way down. But then all of the other older iPhones would also have to take a major dip in price.
All in all very unlikely.
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Your forgetting Pro-motion, Stainless steel frame, extra 2 GB RAM, ProRes and the frosted glass back, but I get your point though.
Exactly my thoughts.
Apple's current product strategy is as profitable as it can get and has succeeded year after year.
Every Mac, iPhone or iPad launch includes an upgrade to the SoC even if nothing else is upgraded.
Why would Apple shift strategy?