Apple A18 -- The New iPhone -- The iPhone 16 -- September 11, 2024

Locator: 48560CHIPS.

Before we start, I wonder if any folks caught this? I have not yet seen this reported anywhere. What was the most recent Apple event called, the Apple event on Monday, September 9, 2024? 

Answer: Glowtime.

Now, what's the ticker symbol for Corning? Answer: GLW.  Now, I know GLW is not a perfect match for Glowtime .... but Glowtime / GLW certainly "rhyme." 

So, any connection? A little history from wiki:

Now, MacRumors, link here:

Note: the ceramic infused glass used by Apple appears to be an Apple exclusive. Nothing but the best when it comes to Apple. And it won't be mentioned by any analyst. LOL.  

Maybe it's nothing. But, wow, so many dots connected, going all the way back to Steve Jobs and his partnering with Corning. 

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Now Back To The Chip Story

From India Today, linked below:

From MacRumors, September 10, 2024:

Apple website:

• iPhone 16: starts at $799.
• iPhone 16 Pro: starts at $999.

Transistor count:

• Apple's A18: 20 billion (last year's A17: 19 billion)
• Intel's "Raptor Lake", CPU, laptop: 26 billion chip
• Nvidia's GeForce 4090 RTX desktop GPU: 74 billion transistor chip

From Thinglabs (linked below):

On the blog:

• Chips tracked here.
• Tech tracked here.
• Apple tracked here.

Apple's A18 chip for the iPhone 16, several links:

• IndiaToday, September 11, 2024.
  
• Samsung, December 15, 2023.
• TechCrunch, September 9, 2024.
• Thinglabs, September 11, 2024.
• wiki, Apple A18.
• Macworld, April 21, 2024.

From the blog:

CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, and all that jazz; Apple's M4 is revolutionary, June 30, 2024.

Transistor count, wiki.
Apple A17, wiki.

Again, CHIPS. 

It appears wiki has not updated its transistor count with Apple A18. I'm not sure if Apple has officially released the transistor count. 

It should be noted that the "absolutely transistor count" no longer has as much "utility" as a metric as it did in the past. 

The Apple A17:

The Apple A18: 

Note: the A17 is said to have 19 billion transistors, but wiki does not note the number of transistors in the A18. One source states the A18 has 20 billion transistors but that could be an estimate, rounding 19 billion to 20 billion. 

Again, other metrics are now becoming more important that simply the number of transistors on a single chip.

From the MacWorld link above:

From Thinglabs above:

With the release of the iPhone 16 series Apple unveiled the A18 chip, which is the fastest and most Ai capable ever. But the real question is how the A18 stacks up versus the A17 Pro (the chip that powered the previous generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max lines). Both chips are powerful but excel in different areas, catering to varying user needs. 

The A18 and A18 Pro push the boundaries for those seeking ultimate performance and features, designed to to redefine smartphone performance and AI handling. The A18 delivers impressive gains for standard iPhone models, while the A18 Pro sets a new standard for speed, efficiency, and advanced features. This silicon rivalry ultimately benefits consumers by offering a range of powerful options to suit their needs and preferences.

Apple’s newest chips, the A18 and A17 Pro, bring significant upgrades to iPhone performance. Both chips use advanced 3nm architecture, but the A18 Pro offers key improvements over its predecessor.

The A18 Pro delivers 15% faster CPU performance and 20% faster graphics compared to the A17 Pro, while using less power. This means smoother gameplay and faster app launches for users of the latest iPhones. The A18 Pro also features an upgraded neural engine for AI tasks and improved video processing capabilities. These enhancements translate to real-world benefits for iPhone users. Tasks like photo editing, video rendering, and running complex apps should feel noticeably snappier on A18 Pro devices compared to those with the A17 Pro chip.