Apple’s new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models have been released for 2020, some features are only available with the Pro lineup. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is that the Pro offers Apple’s latest chip, the new M1 processor.
This made many people wonder why Apple limited access to this powerful chip to their professional-grade laptops. In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons Apple may have chosen to do this, including performance expectations and market segmentation.
We’ll also discuss the potential implications of this decision regarding user experience and industry competition.
Apple’s new A16 chip only included with higher-end iPhone 14 Pro models, base model iPhone 14 uses same chip as iPhone 13
Recently, Apple announced its new A16 chip, which is only included with their higher-end iPhone 14 Pro models. This chip is expected to be superior in performance and speed compared to the chip used in the base iPhone 14 model.
Let’s explore why Apple decided to only include this chip in the Pro models, and what implications this may have for users.
Overview of the A16 chip
The A16 chip is Apple’s newest and most advanced mobile processor, and it was designed specifically to make the new iPad Pro models (11-inch and 12.9-inch) even faster and more powerful than before. It’s a bionic ARM processor that features eight cores, with four of those cores dedicated to performance tasks and the other four for power efficiency. It also has 16 billion transistors for more processing horsepower than possible on a mobile device.
Additionally, Apple has included its new Neural Engine within the A16 chip for machine learning capabilities, allowing it to quickly differentiate between different objects in photos and recognize speech better than ever before. Pair this with the GPU improvements from Apple Metal graphics infrastructure, which can triple what originally came from the iPad Pro model line-up in graphics performance alone.
Furthermore, with the A16 chip comes edge computing – Apple can now better handle things like facial detection or image recognition right on the device rather than relying on cloud processing capabilities alone or offloading them onto another material core like an Intel i7 processor or similar architecture cores. This gives faster reaction times while providing users with more available battery life when performing intensive tasks such as editing video or creating digital artwork utilising apps like ProCreate or Adobe Suite programs.
In short, Apple’s inclusion of its powerful A16 chip into their new IPad Pro models gives users even more power and capabilities to take advantage of; making their devices even faster than ever before while granting faster response times and longer available battery life due to edge computing capabilities built-in into it’s latest processor design: allowing them do do more without needing additional processing support from outside sources.

Performance Improvements
Apple’s A16 chip is featured in its new iPads and iPhones, but only in the Pro models. Some new features of this chip include a six-core CPU—two more than the A13—and a significantly improved graphics processor.
The A16 chip can offer up to 40% faster overall performance and 30% faster graphics performance over the previous generation of Apple processors. This level of performance will be invaluable to photographers, video editors, AI developers and others who need powerful computing capabilities on the go.
The increased speed will also boost the battery life for Pro users compared to traditional MacBooks that rely on highly taxing components; allowing them to work longer without worrying about charging or running out of battery life quickly. Additionally, new features such as neural engine and 4x machine learning will provide even more power to high-end professionals and regular individuals who want their products to be smoother and faster.
Apple’s decision to limit its A16 chip to Pro models is part of its wider attempt at controlling market access for professionals and keeping them locked into its ecosystem by providing higher-level products suited specifically for their needs.
Why Apple Decided to Only Include the A16 Chip in the Pro Models
Apple recently announced that the higher-end iPhone 14 Pro models will include the powerful new A16 chip, while the base model iPhone 14 will have the same chip as the iPhone 13.
This article will explore why Apple decided to reserve their newest chip for the Pro models.

Cost Savings
One of the main reasons Apple decided to only include the A16 chip in their Pro models was to save costs. By doing this, Apple could offer a cost-effective, high-performance solution for those who want all the power and features of a top-of-the-line processor without spending additional money on added features.
By limiting the scope of their new chip, Apple can focus their development resources and production costs on a few specific areas that will impact the most consumer experience. Additionally, by focusing resources solely on their Pro models, they can more finely tune and optimise these processors to achieve better performance gains than if they spread their efforts across an entire range of device configurations.
For these reasons, it makes sense that Apple decided to limit the availability of its newest chip to its Pro models. This decision allows consumers to get a quality experience with cutting-edge technology at an affordable price. It also allows Apple to focus its development resources into minute details that enable it to compete better with other offerings in the marketplace.
Differentiation of Pro Models
Apple recently released its new A16 chip. The chip is designed to improve the overall performance of each product, including enhancing the device’s computing power and battery life. However, Apple decided to only include the A16 chip in their Pro models, such as the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPad Pro 2021.
A few factors likely impacted this decision by Apple. One possible reason is that Apple wanted to differentiate its Pro models from other devices in its product lineup. By utilising a newer, more powerful chip tailored specifically for the Pro series, they can ensure that those models stand out from other products offered due to their advanced performance capabilities.
Another likely motivating factor is that Apple wants to create added value for customers purchasing a more expensive device. Offering exclusive features such as the A16 chip allows them to market the Pros as an improved version over cheaper models with access to capabilities not available to these users elsewhere in Apple’s lineup.
Additionally, utilising an exclusive chip probably helps Apple differentiate between its varied product lines and spread out innovation over multiple years – rather than releasing all new features all at once across all device categories making them too similar; this would result in fewer sales due less compelling reasons for upgrades from customers – resulting in fewer sales and profits for the company overall. By including only certain chips or features on select devices or generations it creates sustained interest over multiple years leading up until end users are ready for their inevitable upgrade ultimately helping increase profits over time – which works well as part of Apple’s long-term strategy of slow but sustained growth on their newer products year-on-year while giving customers just enough new features so they can’t resist upgrading but not so much as to cause fragmentation issues leading up until they do decide it’s time for an upgrade (mid-tier/older model phones eventually become irrelevant due to lack of support compared with newer ones).

Targeting of Higher-End Market
Apple recently decided to only include the A16 chip in the Pro models of their current iPhone release. This move was highly strategic and has many implications for Apple and its users.
The most obvious rationale for this decision is that it allows Apple to target higher-end customers willing to pay for the performance benefits of owning an A16 phone. In addition, by limiting the availability of the chip, Apple can generate more revenue from high-end markets and use that extra capital to reinvest into its product line.
Furthermore, this exclusive usage of the A16 chip also helps Apple maintain control over its products by providing a level of differentiation between their Pro models and other popular phones available today. By withholding certain features from other phones, they can drive demand for their product, helping to maintain its value over time.
This is yet another example of how Apples chooses to make strategic moves to be competitive in an increasingly crowded smartphone market. By deploying tactics such as these that maximise profits and differentiate themselves from competitors, Apple will remain an industry leader for many years.
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