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

Only the iPhone 14 Pro models will have the "A16" chip, while the standard iPhone 14 models will retain the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone 14 Mock pill and hole thumb
In a tweet, Kuo said that the 6.1-inch "‌iPhone 14 Pro‌" and the 6.7-inch "‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max" will get the A16 chip, while the 6.1-inch "‌iPhone 14‌" and the 6.7-inch "‌iPhone 14‌ Max" will retain the same A15 chip from the ‌iPhone 13‌ lineup.

The two more affordable iPhone models retaining the same chip as the previous year could be a major new point of differentiation between the standard and "Pro" ‌iPhone‌ models. Going forward, it seems plausible that Apple could only offer a new chip with the "Pro" models, before it subsequently trickles down to the two cheaper ‌iPhone‌ models the following year.

Kuo added that all four of the ‌iPhone 14‌ models are likely to come with 6GB of memory, with the standard ‌iPhone 14‌ models having LPDDR 4X memory and the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ models having LPDDR 5 memory.

Currently, the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini and ‌iPhone 13‌ feature 4GB of memory, while the ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro Max feature 6GB of memory. These amounts are unchanged from the iPhone 12 lineup. For the ‌iPhone 14‌ lineup, Kuo suggests that all models will feature 6GB of RAM, but the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max's LPDDR 5 memory will be up to one and a half times faster and up to 30 percent more power efficient.

Kuo's claim stands in contrast to a rumor from Haitong International Securities' Jeff Pu, which suggested suggested the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ models will feature 8GB of RAM, the same amount as the Samsung Galaxy S22 models. That being said, Pu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors. For example, he accurately claimed that 16-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models with mini-LED displays would launch in 2021, but he was incorrect about HomePods with 3D sensing cameras launching in 2019. This may bring the 8GB RAM rumor into question now that Kuo, a more established analyst in the Apple space with a better track record, is claiming otherwise.

Related Roundups: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Hartley Avatar
16 months ago

Because it’s not him. 9to5mac didn’t “confirm” anything. They didn’t talk to him and find out if it’s him. They didn’t investigate at all. They just assume it is.
We have contacted Ming-Chi Kuo at TF International Securities directly and can confirm that the @mingchikuo Twitter account is indeed him.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
16 months ago

Apple, Please bring the M1 chip to the iPhone. You did it with iPad Air 5. Why not apply the M series chips to the iPhone?
Because the M1 adds no features to the A-series that are useful for a phone. And M1 would be slower and consume more power than an A16 on a phone.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisBougieLife Avatar
16 months ago
Is it just me or have all of Ming-Chi Kuo’s rumors been really disappointing lately?

That’s how I know they’re probably true… :(
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cwwilson Avatar
16 months ago
Ever since this Kuo Twitter account showed up we've been seeing some wild stuff come up from him and I don't know if I like it.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
16 months ago
It’s becoming more clear that this isn’t really Kuo on twitter.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
16 months ago
Nope.
We see this every single year.
We saw it with the iPhone 7S, which actually became the 8. All the rumors said that it would have an older processor than the X.
Same with the XR
And The mini series, they would get the older processor while all the big phones got the newer processors. It didn’t happen.
Apple has *never* introduced a new flagship iPhone with last years processor, except for the 5C which… was a failure.
All of the iPhones will have the A16 processor.
Especially if they’re getting rid of the mini, and the base price of the new iPhone *starts* at $799, with an $899 option.
Someone please get Quo off of twitter, he’s embarrassing himself.
First the new SE was supposed to have MM wave according to his Twitter account… and it didn’t.
Now it’s a new MacBook Air that’s according to him going to use a two year old chip, and an iPhone that’s going to get more expensive, but keep last year‘s processor, something that hasn’t been done since 2013.
Nope
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 Icon Mock Feature Feature

iOS 17 Lock Screen Interface to Turn iPhone Into Smart Home Display

Wednesday May 24, 2023 9:47 am PDT by
An updated Lock Screen interface in iOS 17 will turn the iPhone into a "smart-home display," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. When not in use and positioned in a horizontal orientation, the iPhone will show information that includes calendar appointments, weather data, notifications, and more, allowing it to serve as a home data hub. With the iPhone attached to a MagSafe charging stand...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

iOS 17 Said to Feature Wallet, Find My, SharePlay, and AirPlay Upgrades

Wednesday May 24, 2023 9:59 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iOS 17 update for the iPhone will include improvements across several apps and features, including Wallet, Find My, SharePlay, and AirPlay, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is expected to preview iOS 17 during its WWDC keynote on June 5, and the update should be released to all users in September. In a report today, Gurman said the Wallet app in particular will...
wwdc 2023

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 23, 2023 9:03 am PDT by
Apple today announced the schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 5 through June 9. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on June 5 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company expected to announce iOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, its long-awaited AR/VR headset, a 15-inch MacBook Air, and more. Apple's keynote will be followed by the Platforms State ...
iOS 17 Mock Health Feature Blue

iOS 17 to Include Dedicated Journaling App and Mood Tracking

Wednesday May 24, 2023 10:05 am PDT by
The iOS 17 update that Apple plans to announce in June will include a dedicated journaling app, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Wall Street Journal in April highlighted Apple's work on a Day One-style journaling app, but at the time, it was not clear if it would come in iOS 17. According to Gurman, the app is indeed slated for inclusion in iOS 17, and it will introduce "note taking and...
icloud photos

Apple's 'My Photo Stream' Service Shutting Down in July 2023

Friday May 26, 2023 11:51 am PDT by
Apple's "My Photo Stream" service is set to shut down on July 26, 2023, which means customers who are still using that feature will need to transition to using iCloud Photos prior to that date. My Photo Stream is a free service that uploads the last 30 days of images (up to 1,000) to iCloud, making them accessible on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC. It predates iCloud Photos and...
mac mini green

Apple Now Selling Refurbished 2023 M2 Mac Mini Models

Wednesday May 24, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
Apple today added refurbished M2 Mac mini models to its online store in the United States, offering the latest 2023 version of the desktop machine at a discounted price for the first time. Refurbished M2 Mac mini models are priced starting at $509 for the version with an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. That's a $90 discount off of the original $599 price tag for that...
chatgpt for iphone feature

OpenAI's Official ChatGPT App for iPhone Expands to 40+ Countries

Thursday May 25, 2023 1:43 pm PDT by
OpenAI this week announced that its official ChatGPT app for the iPhone and the iPad is now available in more than 40 countries in addition to the United States. The app first launched in the United States last week, and OpenAI promised that it would expand to more countries in the coming weeks. As of today, the app can be used in Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Brazil,...
iOS 16

iOS 16.5 Now Available for Your iPhone With These New Features

Monday May 22, 2023 12:12 pm PDT by
Following around seven weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.5 was released to the public last week. The software update is a minor one, but includes a few new features and changes for the iPhone. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the ‌iPhone‌, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped new features and changes in iOS 16.5,...