Skip to main content

Larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may sport a faster processor than the 4.7-inch model

When it comes to the iPhone 6, bigger may be better, and we don’t just mean the screen. A new report from Cowen & Co. analyst Timothy Arcuri, hints the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may sport a faster version of the A8 processor than the one potentially fitted to the smaller 4.7-inch model.

In a note sent to investors on Monday morning, Arcuri cited Asian supply chain checks as the source of his information. The note, obtained by AppleInsider, is quite technical so stick with us. It states that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6’s processor may have a larger die, which could indicate that the chipset will have more on-die silicon than the smaller model. If the die really is larger, it could mean that the A8 processor inside the larger iPhone 6 will have more graphics processing cores.

Recommended Videos

In the past, Apple has given different processors to devices in the same category. For example, the iPad Air features a faster 1.39GHz A7 processor, while the iPad Mini with Retina display comes with a slightly less powerful version of the A7, which clocks in at 1.29GHz.

It stands to reason that Apple may do the same thing with its two iPhone 6 models. Given the fact that the 5.5-inch version has a much larger screen, it could benefit from a slight boost in processing power. It’s also doubtful that the 4.7-inch version would suffer too much with fewer graphics cores.

However, although Arcuri seems to have reached the conclusion that a larger die means a faster processor with more graphics cores, it’s entirely possible that two different suppliers produced the A8 chips, resulting in a slight variation in die size, but not in overall processing power. Early reports hinted that TSMC and Samsung would split the duty of producing the A8 chips for Apple’s iPhone 6.

At this point, it’s impossible to tell, but it seems unlikely that such a small variation in clock speed would alter the performance of either model significantly. We’ll know for sure when Apple finally reveals its new iPhone models in the coming months, but in the meantime, check out our iPhone 6 rumor roundup to catch up on all the latest news about Apple’s next flagship smartphones.

Malarie Gokey
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
Word of notch-less and bezel-less iPhone in 2027 is refusing to die down
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen.

In just two years, the world-dominating smartphone will celebrate its 20th anniversary -- and it looks like Apple has big plans for it. Reports from Bloomberg and The Information suggest the company is aiming for a curved and completely bezel-less display with no notches or cutouts for cameras or sensors.

We've already seen plenty of "curved" and "edge-to-edge" displays from manufacturers like Samsung, but current approaches only curve along the left and right edges of the device. Apple, on the other hand, reportedly wants to go all-in with a glass display that curves around all the edges and corners of the phone.

Read more
iPhone 18 Pro once again tipped for a significant design change
A locked iPhone, showing the lock icon at the top of the screen.

Apple is famous for the sleek, minimal design of its products, but sometimes functionality has to trump minimalism. That's been the case with the iPhone's Face ID system, which provides a very convenient and hands-free way to unlock your phone just by looking at it, but which requires a pill-shaped cutout at the top of the screen to work.

Now, though, it's looking like Apple may ditch the cutout but keep the Face ID unlock option by using detectors placed beneath the screen instead. This under-screen Face ID option would mean that only a small cutout would be required in one corner of the screen for the front-facing camera, so the pill cutout could be removed.

Read more
New iPhone 17 Air leak shows it could be the thinnest, even in a case
A mockup of the Apple iPhone 17 Air next to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The new iPhone 17 Air is heavily rumoured to live up to its name by being a far thinner version of the smartphone.

Thinner than what? Well, the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Although once they're both in cases, will anyone even notice?

Read more