Apple's next-generation A16 chip will be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.
In a report focused on global smartphone production, TrendForce briefly mentioned that Apple plans to launch four new iPhone 14 models in the second half of 2022, but said that only the Pro models will be equipped with Apple's latest processor.
The report lines up with information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in March claimed that only the iPhone 14 Pro models will feature an A16 chip, with the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models to remain equipped with an A15 chip. In an April edition of his newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman agreed that standard iPhone 14 models are "likely to stick to the A15 from last year or a variant of it."
Gurman said that "beyond trying to make the Pro stand out," ongoing chip shortages may have contributed to Apple's decision to limit its upcoming chip to the iPhone 14 Pro models. This would differ from Apple's current strategy of equipping all flagship iPhones with the same chip. For example, the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max are all equipped with the same A15 chip.
Apple is expected to announce its iPhone 14 lineup at its usual September event, barring any significant supply chain disruptions.
