Next year, the new iPhone 16 could potentially skip the A17 chip and go straight to the A18 chip.
Macworld
During the recent unveiling of the iPhone 15, an unexpected detail emerged: the Pro models will feature an A17 Pro chip. This marks a departure from the previous branding convention of using the name “Bionic” for iPhone chips. However, a recent report suggests that this change will be permanent.
Per analyst Jeff Pu’s report on MacRumors, the forthcoming 2024 iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will feature A18 Pro chips, as anticipated. Additionally, Pu notes that Apple will incorporate “A18” chips into the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models.
Pu’s credibility has fluctuated, and according to MacRumors, Pu’s statement about the branding is likely an informed assumption. This suggests that Pu did not disclose any insider information as the basis of his statement. If Pu’s statement is indeed just a guess, it does align with the idea of creating consistent branding for the non-pro phones from a marketing perspective.
Earlier reports indicated that the iPhone 16 was expected to feature a revised edition of the A17 Pro processor.
Apple has recently released their latest chip for the Pro models, while continuing to use the chip from the previous year in the non-pro iPhones. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are equipped with the A17 Pro chip, while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus use last year’s A16 Bionic chip. To avoid confusion with the varying numbering systems, it would make sense to change the name of the A17 Pro chip to A18. This change would also bring consistency with the naming of Mac chips, which are labeled as M2, M2 Pro, Max, and Ultra.
The release of the iPhone 16 is still a year away, but there will likely be more speculation about the chip naming and other features. Stay updated on all the latest rumors with our iPhone 16 rumor roundup.
