Apple is rumoured to launch the upcoming iPhone 16 series in India in September this year. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could have the upgraded A18 Pro chipset, which may succeed the A17 Pro of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Amid the ongoing talks of AI integrations, 9To5Mac claims the company could tweak the chip specifically for on-device AI tasks.
Citing an analyst note from Jeff Pu at Haitong International Tech Research, the report noted Apple is boosting production of A18 Pro chips. As per the note, while the demand for the A17 Pro has stabilised, the ask for the A18 Pro with a 6-core GPU is rising, and it may feature a “larger die area”, a common trend for edge AI computing. While a bigger die area leaves room for extra transistors and components, the challenge will likely be more energy demands, heat and chances of defects.
Also Read: Apple’s iOS 18 May Debut With Enhanced Customisations For Home Screen, AI Magic On Cards Too; All You Need To Know
The on-device AI computing could become a reality on the upcoming ‘Pro’ iPhones due to the upgraded chip, and the reliance on cloud services could be limited to some extent. Apple could choose two strategies for integrating AI on iOS. The first is to rely on cloud-based services from third-party providers like Google, OpenAI or others. Secondly, Apple may ship some AI features with the capability to run entirely on the handset without internet support.
Also Read: Apple iPhones May Get Google Gemini-Powered AI Features In A Game-Changing Deal For Both Companies; What We Know
Meanwhile, reports in the past also tipped that the tech giant may bring a more advanced Neural Engine and more AI computing cores to the A18. This time, the non-Pro iPhones are tipped to get the A18 (and not the A18 Pro) chip. As per the report, some features might be absent on this variant and be exclusive to the A18 Pro. On a related note, the company will likely bring a host of AI features with the iOS 18. You can read the latest update on this here.
Wanda Parisien is a computing expert who navigates the vast landscape of hardware and software. With a focus on computer technology, software development, and industry trends, Wanda delivers informative content, tutorials, and analyses to keep readers updated on the latest in the world of computing.
