iOS 18 “Crystal” Glistens: Apple’s Next Software to Pair with Powerful iPhone 16
On September 13, 2023, Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 15 series at its autumn product launch event. The more high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with the new A17 Pro chip, while the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature the A16 Bionic.
According to Wccftech, the update for iOS 18 is codenamed “Crystal.” Recent code leaks suggest that all models in the upcoming iPhone 16 series will be equipped with the A18 chip. This new custom SoC has been assigned the designation t8140 and is codenamed “Tahiti.”
It’s unlikely that Apple would use the same chip across models at different price points, as it would be a poor business strategy that could diminish consumer incentive to purchase the more expensive versions. More likely, to differentiate between the Pro models and the standard ones, Apple might opt for different specifications for the A18 in each. It’s reported that the chip in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is internally referred to as “D9x,” while the chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus is known as “D4y.” Consequently, the A18 might be appended with additional suffixes to denote these differences.
Speculation suggests that the A18 might merely be a minor revision of the existing A17 Pro, to be used in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. A more powerful SoC, potentially labeled as A18 Pro, could be reserved for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Next year, Apple is likely to transition to TSMC’s updated N3E process. Compared to the current N3B process, the N3E offers higher production capacity and more cost-effective wafer pricing, making it a more judicious choice.
