iPhone 16 Lineup Said to Sport A18 and A18 Pro Chips

Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu has claimed in a research note that all four models in next year’s iPhone 16 lineup will to be powered by cutting-edge A18-branded chips, MacRumors is reporting.

The Haitong International Securities analyst says the A18 chip, manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm chip fabrication process known as N3E, is set to replace the A16 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

According to Pu’s breakdown, here’s what to expect from the iPhone 16 lineup in terms of chips:

• Phone 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)

The move to the N3E chip fabrication process is anticipated to offer cost savings and improved yield compared to the previous N3B process, which was used for the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro models.

However, it’s worth noting that the iPhone 16’s official marketing names are yet to be confirmed by Apple, as the release is still a year away. While Pu’s insights provide valuable information, Apple may choose to use different branding for its chips.

Jeff Pu has a track record of accurate predictions in the tech industry, having previously reported the abandonment of solid-state buttons for iPhone 15 Pro models.

He also correctly anticipated the increase in RAM for iPhone 15 Pro models, and also the higher starting price for the iPhone 15 Pro Max compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.