TSMC Posts Strong Q1 2025 Revenue, Riding AI Chip Demand Wave 
Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Sparks Global Movement 
Microsoft's $10 Billion Japan Investment: AI Infrastructure and Data Sovereignty Push 
NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo 
Britain Courts Anthropic Amid US Defense Department Dispute 
China's Push to Steal Taiwan's Chip Technology and Talent Raises Security Alarms 
San Francisco Suspect Arrested After Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home 
TSMC Japan's Second Fab to Produce 3nm Chips by 2028 
SpaceX Eyes Historic IPO at $1.75 Trillion Valuation 
Alibaba Shares Slide as Jefferies Slashes Price Target Over AI Spending and Business Losses 
Lumentum Holdings Rides AI Wave With Order Book Filled Through 2028 
OpenAI Executive Shake-Up Ahead of Anticipated 2026 IPO 
Apple's Foldable iPhone Faces Engineering Setbacks, Mass Production Timeline at Risk 
Anthropic's Mythos AI Model Sparks Emergency Cybersecurity Meeting With Top U.S. Bank CEOs 
Elon Musk Ties SpaceX IPO Access to Mandatory Grok AI Subscriptions 
Samsung Electronics Eyes Record Q1 Profit Amid AI-Driven Chip Boom 
Annie Altman Amends Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman 
The A18 has been identified in leaked iOS 18 code as part of Apple's next iPhone 16 lineup, and while the A17 Pro was built using TSMC's first-generation 3nm process, the upcoming SoC is reported to use the upgraded N3E node.
With this transition, the A18 joins the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Dimensity 9400 as the third smartphone chipset to use second-generation 3nm lithography, but one report also delves into the other upgrades coming to the iPhone 16 family, which should help the company increase sales in struggling markets.
Apple's A18 Reportedly Using TSMC's 'N3E' Process
Multiple times, it has been mentioned that the A18 will use TSMC's 'N3E' process, but the China Times has opted to repeat this information. We don't know whether Apple plans to rebrand the A17 Pro and use the “A18” moniker for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus while using the A18 Pro for the more expensive models, but there is evidence that the California-based company may have two A-series chips ready in the fourth quarter.
According to a Geekbench 6 leak, the A18 Pro got an unparalleled single-core performance, but its multi-core score lagged behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Dimensity 9400. We're sure to see revised scores before the iPhone 16 launches, so don't be disappointed for now.
To address a sales decline, notably in China, the enhanced silicon will be supported by other advancements such as generative AI, an improved 48MP back camera, and larger display sizes of up to 6.9 inches.
Apple Faces Challenges: Analysts Predict iPhone 16 Sales Slowdown Amid Economic Slump
However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo anticipated that Apple's shipments would fall 15% this year due to the iPhone 16's lack of enticing features, a position shared by Barclays analysts, whose research note highlighted the same reason for a sales slowdown, as per WCCFTech.
Apple is not the only corporation suffering from a sluggish economy; other technological firms are experiencing similar difficulties. However, the iPhone is Apple's cash cow, as seen by the company's Q1 2024 earnings, so it is in Apple's best interests to pack as many appealing features into the iPhone 16 as possible this year.
Photo: Max Tech/YouTube Screenshot
