As with every new iPhone release, a next-generation Apple A-series chip is introduced and this year we expect Apple to announce their first A Series chip on the 3nm process – the Apple A17 Bionic for the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. We would also presume that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will gain the chip from the iPhone 14 Pro lineup – the A16 Bionic.

In a leaked Geekbench 6 benchmark from Weibo, and shared by ShrimpApplePro on Twitter, the claimed A17 chip achieved a single-core score of 3,019 and a multi-core score of 7860 – rapidly approaching the benchmark results produced by the M1 chip, featured in the various Apple devices from iPad Air to the 24-inch iMac. Although benchmark results are not an accurate portrayal of real-world use, they do indicate how a chip performs, with a single-core score that is about 18% higher compared to the A16 Bionic, and a multi-core score which is over 21% higher compared to its predecessor.

It is understood that when Apple does switch to using a 3nm process for their chips, on both the Apple A-series and the Apple-M series, users can expect a noticeable increase in performance and power efficiency. The improved power efficiency will contribute to better battery life on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models, with Bloomberg reporting late last year that the “newer process will require 35% less power while also providing better performance than its previous 5nm process.”

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to introduce an improved camera system, a new design with titanium chassis and subtle curves, thinner bezels, solid-state buttons and the much anticipated USB-C port. We expect the new iPhone 15 lineup to be announced in September.