According to a new report, Apple's next processor family, the A18 and M4, will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with significantly more cores. By greatly increasing the number of built-in AI computing cores, the iPhone 16 series and new Macs will deliver ultra-fast AI performance.
iOS 18 will be an AI update
The upgraded Neural Engine will enable devices to perform AI/machine learning tasks faster. iOS 18 is rumored to bring new generative AI features to Siri, Shortcuts, Messages, Apple Music and other native apps. Tim Cook has already recently said that Apple is working on productive AI and will share details later this year. The innovations coming with iOS 18 will be shown at WWDC in June, as usual.
iPhone 16 models will be equipped with A18 series chips. It was previously rumored that some productive AI features could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models. Since the iPhone 12 generation, the Neural Engine has had a 16-core design. Even if the number of cores hasn't changed, the Neural Engine has accelerated significantly over the years. For example, the A15 Pro processor in the iPhone 17 Pro is said to have a Neural Engine up to twice as fast as the one in the iPhone 14 Pro.
