The iPhone 16 could be eligible for a new chip, showing that Apple has reviewed its strategy in this area to streamline its offerings.
Source: Apple
The generation problem of the new iPhones could be solved as early as next year. At least that’s what an analyst note obtained and shared by MacRumors seems to indicate.
The end of the generation gap
Since 2022, Apple has initiated a real separation between its iPhone and its iPhone Pro. In addition to the new aesthetic and functional features (end of the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro, action button on the 15 Pro) or on the photo module, the iPhone Pros are now entitled to a brand new SoC, while the cheaper models are expensive, those from last year will be easy reused. So the iPhone 15 Pro is entitled to a brand new A17 Pro chip, while the iPhone 15 uses the A16 Bionic from the iPhone 14 Pro.
But why A17 Pro when there is no A17 at all? The note from Jeff Pu (Haitong International Securities) begins an explanation.
According to the analyst, all iPhone 16s would come with a new chip developed by TSMC using the new N3E process. This is a second-generation 3nm engraving process that is more advanced than the N3B used on the A17 Pro. So the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus would be equipped with an A18 chip, while the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max would be equipped with an A18 Pro chip. However, the difference between the two chips is not mentioned.
Making the non-Pro iPhone attractive again
Although this may seem small as there will always be a difference between the two areas, this change is excellent news. Currently, non-Pro iPhones are not very attractive compared to the Pro version of the previous generation. Why get an iPhone 15 when you can get an iPhone 14 Pro, which is better in every way, for almost the same price?
This generational change in the SoC will potentially not only allow further development of the iPhone, especially thanks to additional artificial intelligence cores, but also ensure longer support. Apple is stopping its software tracking not by iPhone generation, but by chip generation, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro should receive one more iOS update than the iPhone 15. By realigning its chip generations with iPhone generations Apple’s doing this makes it possible to close this frustrating gap, especially at a time when ecological considerations invite you to keep your smartphone as long as possible.
The existence of the A17 Pro suggests that the idea was already planned for 2023, but the A17 did not live up to Apple’s expectations and was forced to reuse the A16 on the iPhone 15.
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