There is growing likelihood that Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 series, expected to launch in late 2024, will feature the same A18 chip across all models. According to multiple sources, this strategic shift appears to be laying the groundwork for bringing Apple's AI feature "Apple Intelligence" to a broader range of iPhone users.
Background and Details of the A18 Chip Adoption
According to Apple's backend code newly discovered by Nicolás Alvarez and reported by MacRumors, the iPhone 16 series will have five new model identifiers. All of these identifiers begin with "iPhone17," and based on Apple's traditional chip naming conventions, this suggests they will all feature the same A18 chip.
The specific identifiers are as follows:
- iPhone17,1
- iPhone17,2
- iPhone17,3
- iPhone17,4
- iPhone17,5
In contrast, the iPhone 15 series—which used different chips for the Pro models and standard models—used the following identifiers:
- iPhone 15 – iPhone 15,4
- iPhone 15 Plus – iPhone 15,5
- iPhone 15 Pro – iPhone 16,1
- iPhone 15 Pro Max – iPhone 16,2
"Apple's iPhones typically link identifiers to chips," MacRumors explains, and the difference in identifiers noted above suggests that the iPhone 16 lineup may use the same chip across all models.
However, even if the A18 chip is used across all models, it's possible that not all iPhone 16 models will have identical performance. Experts point to several ways Apple might differentiate the models:
- Marketing name differentiation: Distinguishing the standard models as "A18" and the Pro models as "A18 Pro."
- GPU core adjustments: Differentiating from the Pro models by disabling some GPU cores or reducing performance on the standard models.
- Differences in RAM capacity: While 8GB of RAM may become standard across all models, the Pro models could potentially feature even more RAM.
It has also been pointed out that Apple may mass-produce the A18 and use chip binning to improve yields for the 3nm chips. This raises the possibility that chips with certain defects—such as some disabled cores—would be used as the standard A18, while chips that pass binning as superior products would be used as the A18 Pro.
Behind this strategic shift lies the "Apple Intelligence" feature set to be introduced with iOS 18. Using Apple Intelligence requires a substantial amount of RAM, with at least 8GB of RAM being necessary. Since RAM on iPhones is integrated with the A-series chip, manufacturing the same A18 chip and then binning them allows Apple to lower overall costs while still offering Apple Intelligence across the lineup. Currently, this feature is supported only on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but by equipping all models with the A18 chip, more users will be able to take advantage of advanced on-device AI/ML capabilities.
The identity of the fifth identifier remains unknown, but it has been suggested that it could be the new iPhone SE model expected to launch in 2025, or the rumored "Ultra" model.
According to Apple insiders, the new Neural Engine featured in the A18 chip is expected to offer higher performance than the current M4 chip. This is expected to enable more advanced AI processing across the entire iPhone 16 lineup.
Final details won't be confirmed until the official announcement around September 2024, but it's clear that Apple is working to improve performance across its entire iPhone lineup for the AI era. This move suggests a new Apple strategy of lowering the barrier between high-end and standard models, providing more users with access to advanced features.
Sources