An earlier leak suggested that Apple is planning on releasing the world’s first-ever ‘mini’ iPhone this year. We can expect it to be priced at the US$500 mark, making it an ideal entry-level iPhone. The bigger question here is, will it run the A14 Bionic. The rumor mill seems to agree for the most part, but one leaker paints a different picture.
Sources have told Twitter user MauriQHD that Apple is working on a mid-range chip (tentatively) called the B14. It is expected to make its debut alongside the iPhone 12 Mini and future iPhone SE devices. In all likelihood, the so-called B14 could very well be an underclocked A14 Bionic that focuses on efficiency rather than raw power. Several users accused Apple of underclocking the iPhone SE 2020’s A13 Bionic. While its Geekbench score suggests otherwise, the existence of toned-down Apple silicon is both a good and a bad thing.
It will let Apple make headway into the hypercompetitive mid-range smartphone market, which is essential to capture audiences in several regions like India. However, one of the iPhone SE 2020’s key selling points was that it allowed users to get an A13 Bionic-powered for as little as US$400. Regardless of the silicon used, cheaper Apple phones will be universally welcomed by fans and enthusiasts alike.