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 Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
top stories 2025 12 27

Top Stories: iPhone Fold Mockup, Where's the New Apple TV?, and More

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:00 am PST by
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MacRumors! News in the Apple world has unsurprisingly been relatively slow over the past week, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone managed to make its way back into the news, while we also shared updates on current and future Apple TV news. iOS 26.3 will be bringing some new features, particularly for users in the EU, so we'll look for additional...

Top Rated Comments

Hartley Avatar
50 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
50 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
50 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
50 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
50 months ago
It’s becoming more clear that this isn’t really Kuo on twitter.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
50 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)