All iPhone 16 models are expected to use the A18 chip, according to leaked technical information and code discovered in Apple's backend5. This includes the standard iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple may still differentiate between the standard and Pro models by using A18 chips with a smaller number of GPU cores for the standard models and saving chips with better GPUs for the Pro lineup5.
Apple is planning to release four iPhone 16 models this year, all of which will have the same A-series chip. The code discovered in Apple's backend includes the following iPhone identifiers: iPhone17,1, iPhone17,2, iPhone17,3, iPhone17,4, and iPhone17,5. All five start with the same number, suggesting that Apple plans to use the same chip for them.
Apple Intelligence, a new feature in iOS 18, requires the A18 chip for its AI-powered capabilities. This feature enhances language, image, and action processing, enabling improved writing tools, image generation, and contextual understanding for a more efficient user experience.