The latest rumors suggest that the upcoming iPhone 16 will feature significant upgrades. According to CTEE (via AppleInsider), Apple is preparing to equip both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models with the latest A18 chip, eliminating the performance gap that has traditionally existed between different models in the lineup. This is excellent news for users who opt for the base or Plus models due to cost considerations.
Reports also indicate that Apple has increased its chip order from TSMC, its primary supplier, in anticipation of selling between 90 million and 100 million units of the iPhone 16. This represents a significant increase from the 80 million to 90 million units of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro sold last year, marking a departure from Apple’s previous sales figures.
In the iPhone 15 lineup, different models featured different chips. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max had the A17 Pro chip, while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus had the A16 chip.
Further evidence supporting Apple’s direction comes from MacRumors, which found iOS code listing model numbers for the iPhone 16 series. Each model is assigned numbers between 17,1 to 17,5, indicating that all models will use chips from the same family, likely the A18 chip.
The A18 chip in all iPhone 16 models would enable Apple to introduce Apple Intelligence features across the entire lineup, a capability currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro with the A17 Pro processor.
While the two-tier system remains in place, the A18 processor is expected to be a refined version of the A17 Pro, with the iPhone 16 Pro models receiving a larger A18 Pro chip for enhanced graphics and AI computing capabilities. There may be slight differences in performance between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus compared to the Pro models.
Rumors also suggest new OLED displays for the base iPhone 16 models using an “M14 AMOLED stack,” hinting at further convergence among iPhone 16 variants. The phones are expected to launch during Apple’s September iPhone event, providing more details to come in the near future.
