On the eve of the iPhone 16 launch, scheduled for September 9, the Financial Times revealed that the new A18 Bionic processor will be developed using ARM’s ARMv9 architecture. This upgrade will significantly enhance artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and power efficiency.
The report highlights a long-term partnership Apple secured with ARM in 2023, lasting through 2040, to continue advancing ARM technology. The ARMv9 architecture is already used in Apple’s M4 processors, released for MacBooks earlier this year, marking a significant shift for the iPhone. Previously, iPhones used ARMv8 architecture, introduced in 2011, so the jump from the A17 to the A18 chip is expected to deliver substantial performance gains.
One of the key upgrades rumored for the A18 Bionic is the ability for all versions of the chip to run Apple’s AI solutions, branded as Apple Intelligence. In contrast, only the A17 Pro in the current generation supports these AI features.
Despite this partnership, ARM’s technology isn’t exclusive to Apple. Other manufacturers like Samsung, with its Exynos 2400 processor in the Galaxy S24, and Vivo, with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 in the X100 and X100 Pro, also utilize the ARMv9 architecture.
