- Tech giant pushing to bring generative artificial intelligence features to its smartphones.
- Apple will reveal the A18 chip when it launches its iPhone 16 on Monday.
OUR TAKE
By leveraging Arm’s V9 architecture, Apple not only enhances performance but also reinforces its AI ambitions. As Apple continues to integrate sophisticated AI features into its devices—like advanced Siri and custom emoji generation—the need for cutting-edge chip technology becomes increasingly critical. This launch reflects Apple’s broader strategy to position itself at the forefront of AI innovation in consumer tech.
-Tacy Ding, BTW reporter
What happened
Apple’s iPhone 16 will launch on Monday featuring a next-generation chip built on Arm’s latest design architecture. This release represents the latest step in Apple’s efforts to incorporate generative artificial intelligence features into its smartphones.
Apple will unveil the A18 chip at its event on Monday, incorporating SoftBank-owned Arm’s latest V9 chip design into its smartphones, according to sources familiar with the matter, as reported by the Financial Times.
Apple’s adoption of the V9 chip design for the iPhone, which accounts for nearly half of its total revenue, represents a significant boost for Arm. Arm has a multiyear licensing agreement with Apple, and Arm CEO Rene Haas has stated that the V9 design generates twice the royalties of the previous V8 generation.
Arm’s chip architecture defines a set of instructions that serve as the foundation for chip development. The UK-based, US-listed company generates revenue through both licensing and royalties. Arm introduced the V9 architecture in 2021.
Also read: Apple’s new Mac Mini M4 may replace USB-A ports with USB-C
Also read: Apple to reveal iPhone 16 series and new products at September 9 event
Why it’s important
Apple is already employing Arm’s V9 architecture in its latest M4 MacBook chips, which were announced in May. The company claimed that the M4 represents a “giant leap” in performance for the next generation of its PCs, anticipated to be revealed in the coming months.
Apple is in the process of repositioning itself as an AI-focused company and unveiled several features in June under the banner of “Apple Intelligence.”
These features include an enhanced Siri, custom emoji generation, and photo editing capabilities using Apple’s own in-house AI models. Additionally, Apple has partnered to offer users free access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and introduced a new “Private Cloud Compute” infrastructure designed to protect user data when it leaves their phone to utilise Apple’s models.
However, the increased computational demands of running AI models on a pocket-sized device make advancements in chip technology crucial.
