‘Apple season’ has arrived in September. The main characters are the new app processor ( AP ) ‘ A17 Bionic’ (hereinafter referred to as A17 ) and the ‘iPhone 15’ series equipped with Apple’s first USB-C standard charging terminal. Fierce competition is expected from Samsung Electronics (005930), which will compete head-on with the iPhone 15 this fall, as well as Google and Chinese companies.
According to related industries on the 3rd, the ‘iPhone 15’ series, which Apple will unveil at Apple Park in the U.S. on the 12th (local time), will have a ‘class division’ strategy between high-end models such as △Pro △Pro Max and △Plus △basic models. It is expected to become more evident. For example , there are changes such as installing a new AP only on the ‘iPhone 15’ Pro and Pro Max and changing the frame to a more advanced material.
Class division’ is extreme, high-end models are more ‘luxurious’
Apple is expected to install the new AP ‘ A17’ based on the latest 3nm (nanometer) process only on the ‘iPhone 15’ Pro and Pro Max models this time . In the case of the previous product ‘ A16’, which was made using a 5nm process, significant performance improvements were achieved, such as reducing power usage by 20% compared to ‘ A15’ , and the newly released ‘ A17’ is also expected to have a significant performance improvement. However, the regular ‘iPhone 15’ model is expected to use the existing ‘ A16’ chipset.
The device frame material also varies depending on the ‘grade’. Titanium, a high-end material, is expected to be applied only to the ‘iPhone 15’ Pro and Pro Max. The frame of the existing ‘iPhone’ series was made of stainless steel, but titanium, which is stronger and lighter than this, is used to improve the quality. According to foreign media, the weight of the titanium-applied iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is expected to be about 19g lighter than its predecessor, reaching 191g and 221g, respectively.
On the other hand, ‘Dynamic Island’, which was only applied to the Pro and Pro Max in the previous work, is expected to be applied to all ‘iPhone 15’ models. ‘Dynamic Island’ is a function that is placed in an oval shape on the front camera and displays various content information.
Changes are also being made to the charging terminal, which is most noticeable to users. European Union ( EU))’s policy of unifying charging terminals for small electronic devices, the USB-C terminal is applied for the first time in the ‘iPhone’ series. iPhone users who had to use only Apple’s own Lightning terminal will now be able to charge more conveniently through the USB-C terminal.
The problem is the price, and the factory price of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is expected to be at least $1,099 (about 1.46 million won) and $1,299 (about 1.73 million won). It is about $100 more expensive (about 130,000 won) than the previous version. Some are raising the possibility of an increase of up to $200. In Korea, including value-added tax (10%), the Pro is expected to cost 1.68 to 1.81 million won, and the Pro Max is expected to cost토토사이트 1.88 to 2.01 million won.
Premium phone competition expected with Samsung, latecomers are also active
Traditionally, the fall after September is called ‘apple season.’ Apple is expected to be strong again this year after the release of the ‘iPhone 15’. Fierce competition is expected with Samsung Electronics, its rival in the premium phone market. Samsung Electronics has been focusing on global marketing since the launch of its 5th generation foldable phones ‘Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5’ last month. In fact, the response has been unusual, with initial sales in Europe recently hitting an all-time high.
However, as foldable phones currently account for only a small portion of the overall smartphone market, Apple is still expected to have the upper hand. Taiwanese TF International researcher Ming-Chi Kuo, known as an Apple expert, stated in a recent report that “Apple’s ‘iPhone’ shipments this year will be 225 million units,” which is higher than Samsung’s shipment forecast (220 million units).
With the release of the ‘iPhone 15’, there are also active movements of latecomers trying to attract market attention. Google plans to launch the ‘Pixel 8’ series on the 4th of next month, and China’s Huawei plans to launch the ‘Mate 60 Pro’, which is expected to support 5G, this month.
An official from the parts industry said, “The key to the ‘iPhone 15’ is the performance of the new chipset, and we are interested in how much it will improve compared to the previous model.” He added, “While Samsung is developing foldable phones, which are innovations in form factor, Apple is developing its own self-designed AP, which is its strength . “It looks like we will put more effort into it,” he said.