Back in March earlier this year, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo hinted that Apple’s upcoming A16 Bionic chip will remain exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro models. Kuo now says that all non-Pro iPhones will no longer come with the latest Apple A-series chipsets and will rely on previous-gen chips going forward.
Latest iPhone Chips Will Be Exclusive to Pro Models
Apple is likely to launch four models in the iPhone 14 series — iPhone 14, 14 Max, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. Going by previous reports, we got to know that iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max may be powered by the upcoming A16 chipset, while the iPhone 14 and 14 Max could feature the current-gen A15 chipset. While most of us thought Apple may have made this decision due to the ongoing chip shortage, it looks like this is part of the company’s new business strategy.
“The latest processor chip will be exclusive to iPhone high-end models in the future, so a high shipment proportion of iPhone high-end models will be the norm, favoring high-end camera component suppliers,” says Kuo.
According to Kuo’s report, the move is likely to increase iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max shipments to 55% – 60% in the second half of the year, as opposed to the usual 40% – 50% sales. It would also benefit Apple’s camera component suppliers, including Sony, Largan, Alps, and LG Innotek. That’s because the Pro models are likely to come with significant camera upgrades, including a 48MP main cameraand a punch-hole-cum-pill design.
By limiting the new A-series chipsets to the Pro models, Apple seems to be preparing to utilize the decoy effect to make its Pro models more appealing. It remains to be seen, however, if customers are willing to go the extra mile to get the Pro models to experience the latest iPhone chip. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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