Apple is expected to launch three new iPhone 11 models this fall, all generally featuring the same design as their predecessors. The new phones will deliver significant camera upgrades though, as the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR sequels will each pack an additional camera on the back. The phones will also feature better hardware, including the next-gen A13 processor, a version of which will also power the iPad Pro tablets that Apple will release later this year. And it goes without saying that the new A-series chips will beat Android rivals, with one industry insider saying the A13 will maintain Apple’s one-year lead over the competition.
Ice Universe, a leaker who is typically focused on Samsung mobile hardware but also branches out from time to time, posted an update on the A13 chip seemingly out of the blue.
Apple A13 will greatly enhance the CPU multi-core performance and GPU, this GPU is still far beyond the Android camp's SoC, maintaining a one-year advantage.
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) July 6, 2019
According to Ice, the A13 will “greatly enhance the CPU multi-core performance,” while the new GPU is “still far beyond the Android camp’s SoC.”
Apple has always been at the forefront of silicon technology for mobile devices and its rivals have never been able to catch up. By producing its own hardware, chips included, and optimizing the software for it, Apple has always delivered a smoother, faster iOS experience than Android flagships running Google’s latest operating system on the latest hardware available.
Some device makers have been able to beat iPhones in real-life speed tests, but only after significantly bumping up RAM on their devices. Android vendors, with very few exceptions that include Apple’s biggest rivals Samsung and Huawei, don’t make their own chips, relying instead on designs from the likes of Qualcomm and others. All the Android chips out there are built on ARM’s specifications — and the A-series chips are also based on ARM tech. But it’s Apple that still leads the way when it comes to mobile performance.
The leaker said in a subsequent tweet that next year’s Snapdragon 865 CPU that will compete with the A13 will be manufactured on 7nm EUV technology based on a Cortex-A77 design — Geekbench single-core scores will surpass 4000 for the chip, which would mark a first for Snapdragon flagships.
The iPhone 11 phones will launch in mid-September, nearly six months before the Galaxy 11 and other 2020 Android devices can make use of the Snapdragon 865 processor. All the hot Android phones launching in the second half of the year, including the Galaxy Note 10, Pixel 4, and OnePlus 7T Pro, will run on this year’s Snapdragon 855 chip.
