TrendForce reports that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 series will be powered by the new A18 and A18 Pro processors and will feature a comprehensive DRAM upgrade to support Apple Intelligence.
The new iPhones — along with new Apple Watches and AirPods — will almost certainly be unveiled at Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event. It will be held Monday, Sept. 9, starting at 10 a.m. Pacific.
TrendForce says that Apple’s four new models are expected to have a combined production volume of 86.7 million units in the second half of 2024, marking an 8% year-on-year increase. Looking at total production for 2024, Apple is currently close to Samsung, the market leader, and could potentially surpass Samsung by the end of the year to become the top smartphone manufacturer by market share for the first time, according to TrendForce.
All four iPhone 16 models will utilize TSMC’s new 3nm process for the A18 and A18 Pro processors, breaking from the usual practice of reusing the previous generation’s processor in some models, accords to the research group. This shift is likely driven by cost considerations, as the previous generation’s 3nm process (N3B) is more expensive than the current N3E process. As a result, Apple has chosen to use the more cost-effective N3E technology across all models, TrendForce says.
The research group also notes that the display sizes for both iPhone 16 Pro models will be slightly larger than those of the previous generation. Other notes from the TrendForce report:
° Despite earlier rumors suggesting the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus would have a frame rate upgrade to 90Hz, they will remain at 60Hz.
° The DRAM capacity for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus has been upgraded, meaning all four new models will feature LPDDR5X 8GB to support Apple Intelligence.
° Apple Intelligence is a major highlight of the iPhone 16 series this year. While the LLM parameters on Apple’s devices are not as extensive as those on Android phones, Apple is expected to achieve superior system integration thanks to its closed ecosystem, self-developed processors, and strong control over app development.
° The overall cost of the new iPhone models has slightly increased due to a significant rise in memory prices over the past year. However, considering the current downturn in the smartphone industry, Apple is expected to maintain a cautious pricing strategy.
° Pricing for the four new models launched this year is likely to remain on par with the iPhone 15 series or see a slight increase to balance higher costs while driving sales and maintaining profitability.
° The iPhone 16 Pro, featuring a periscope lens, may follow last year’s Pro Max strategy by starting with a base storage capacity of 256GB, which could help mitigate the perception of a price increase by offering more storage.
