When Apple reveals a new product, they often talk about how fast it is than the previous model and how good it is against the competition. The claims that the Macbook Air is faster than 98% of PC laptops make headlines. It's an effective marketing approach, but one Apple might choose to avoid when it launches the next MacBook Air and iPhone 14.
The A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro will use the same manufacturing process as the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13. Apple will stick with TSMC's N5P process for the A16, according to an Apple analyst. The leaker ShrimpApplePro claimed that the A16 would be based on TSMC's 5nm process. Smaller enhancements would come from the use of a strongerGPU and the use ofLPDDR5 RAM.
The improved N3 and N4P fabrication process will be released by TSMC. Apple can either stay with a 5-nanometer N5P or switch to a 4-nanometer N4. Apple could still count on improvements in performance and power-saving from A16 if it stays with N5P. The standard iPhone 14 will be the only one with the A15, according to recent reports.
The next MacBook Air could have a similar limitation. Apple might choose to stick with the M1 on the MacBook Air and focus on its rumored redesign, which should involve new color options. While there is nothing bad with naming a minor update, Apple would be wise to reserve the name for a more significant release. ShrimpApplePro thinks the M2 processor will be based on a 3nanometer process.
I agree with him. Apple got off to a good start with its M1 chips, but the company will want to establish strong expectations for its upcoming custom processors. The M1 chip is still powerful compared to its rivals. People will be more invested in the redesign of the MacBook Air than in any performance gains. Next year Apple can do a soft refresh of the MacBook Air when a proper M2 comes around after the release of the Pro models.
How you use your phones and laptops will affect how much this matters. Most customers don't even get close to the power ceiling of the iPhone 14, which is already the fastest phone on the market. We are a few months away from Apple revealing its next lineup of flagship phones. Let's hope the tech giant provides other reasons to upgrade if it doesn't give us faster performance.
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