By Joe Rossignol
All four iPhone 16 models will feature A18-branded chips, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers Apple and its supply chain. He first shared the forecast last month and addressed the topic again this week in a research note for Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities.
In his latest note, Pu said, “We expect all iPhone 16 models to be equipped with the A18 processor,” and he expects the chips to be produced on the chipmaker's second-generation 3nm process TSMC. “H3E”. Pu called the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro models, which is based on TSMC's first-generation 3nm “N3B” process, a “transitional design.”
In response to an email from MacRumors last month, Pu outlined his specific expectations:
- iPhone 16: A18 chip (N3E)
- iPhone 16 Plus: A18 chip (N3E)
- iPhone 16 Pro: A18 Pro chip (N3E)
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: A18 Pro chip (N3E)
According to TSMC, the N3E is cheaper and has a higher endurance compared to the N3B.
The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use the A16 Bionic chip. , so the move to the A18 chip for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be a noticeable and unique change, as it means those two models will ditch the A17 branded chip.
Given that the iPhone 16 lineup is still 10 years away from launching around 11 months, Pu is likely making an educated guess with the marketing names, so it remains to be seen whether Apple will actually move forward with the A18 and A18 Pro branding. It's possible that Apple could brand its chips for the iPhone 16 as A17 and A18 Pro, reflecting recent years.
Pu was the first source to report that Apple has abandoned its plans to create solid-state buttons on the iPhone . 15 professional models. He also accurately reported that the iPhone 15 Pro models will come with increased RAM (8GB) and that the starting price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be higher than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Related Review: iPhone 16Tag: Jeff Poo [104 comments]
