With the anticipated release date just a few months away, we’re hearing more rumors about Apple’s plan for the iPhone 16’s hardware upgrades. With each new iPhone, Apple tends to boost the computing power and storage of the flagship device, but in the new age of smartphone AI, it’s more necessary than ever that the Cupertino brand keeps up with the competition.
The latest iPhone 16 hardware murmurings are courtesy of Haitong International Tech Research’s Jeff Pu, via 9to5Mac, which suggests we’re getting new A18 and A18 Pro chipsets for the iPhone 16 Series. The A18 Pro chipset, which, we’re assuming, is for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, has a larger die area than the A18. For those who don’t know, a larger die area means more room for transistors and other components, which makes it look like Apple is looking to create a PoC powerful enough for on-device AI.
The caveat to this news is that it seems that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus won’t be as competent in terms of AI as the more expensive alternatives, with the A18 PoC more of a continuation of what’s come before from Apple rather than a further innovation. We don’t know this for sure at this point, but from Pu’s reporting, it seems that it’s only the more expensive flagships that are releasing with on-device AI capabilities.
With Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and plenty of others embracing AI with new flagships in 2024, it’s no surprise to see Apple, the market leader, join in on the fun. We know that Apple has been planning its approach to AI for a while, with a recent report suggesting that the brand might collaborate with Google to make use of Google Gemini on future devices, but what exactly the company is aiming to offer in terms of generative AI features is still something a mystery.
There you have it, all you need to know about the iPhone 16 hardware upgrades Apple is planning to offer its own AI features in the future. For more on the latest phones, check out our Honor Magic6 Pro review, or see our guides to the best Samsung phones, best Xiaomi phones, and best OnePlus phones.