New code findings suggest Apple’s dual-chip strategy will continue with this year’s iPhones, with only the iPhone 15 Pros getting the upcoming A17 Bionic chip.
In contrast, the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models will get last year’s A16 Bionic. The A16 Bionic powers the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the regular models use the A15, a chip that debuted in the iPhone 13 family in 2021.
This is based on code spelunker Aaron Pena, who discovered references to four unreleased iPhone models in the latest tvOS 17 code, sharing his findings on X.
What chip does the iPhone 15 Pros run?
Aaron was able to unearth the following identifiers from the tvOS 17 code that don’t correspond with any of the currently shipping iPhone models:
- iPhone15,4
- iPhone15,5
- iPhone16,1
- iPhone16,2
The “15” denotes models powered by the Apple A16, while the “16” references iPhones that use the unreleased A17 chip. The Cupertino tech giant has been tipped to hold a press event to announce the iPhone 15 family on September 12.
Why only the iPhone Pros get the latest Apple chips
Up until the iPhone 14, every iPhone generation ran the same chip. That changed with the iPhone 14 family in 2022 due to the pandemic-era supply issues.
That strategy is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. Reliable industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in 2021 that all future Pro-branded iPhones would exclusively use Apple’s latest mobile chips.
Another reason for this dual-chip strategy is cost. The Information reported that Apple’s “sweetheart deal” with chipmaker TSMC saves it from costs associated with defective chips. Instead of paying for those like other clients, TSMC basically eats the cost of the defects—giving Apple a significant cost advantage. All other clients must pay for the wafer and its dies, whether good or defective.
The A17 Bionic will be the first chip manufactured using TSMC’s new three-nanometer process technology. With every new fabrication process, it’s crucial to have a top client like Apple cover the cost of new technology, even if it means giving it concessions unavailable to any other client.