iPhone 16: Upgraded Thermal Solution for AI Tasks, Separate NAND Flash from Logic Board Rumored

Apple is said to be developing a suite of AI-related innovations for the next iPhone 16 series, which will include iOS 18 with generative AI integrated. On-device processing will be…

By Ishika Setia

April 23, 2024

2 min read

Comments

Apple is said to be developing a suite of AI-related innovations for the next iPhone 16 series, which will include iOS 18 with generative AI integrated. On-device processing will be used for quicker performance rather than cloud-based systems.

As a result, the chipset, NAND flash RAM, and other components will be heavily strained. The Cupertino firm is reported to be making changes to the cooling system, which will be more suited to handle the incoming workload. Another piece of speculation is that Apple will remove the onboard memory chip from the System-on-Chip, reducing the heat build-up.

More About iPhone 16 Upgraded Thermal Solution

Previous rumors indicated that the iPhone 16 would include a graphene thermal system to aid in heat dissipation. However, details regarding the specific cooling solution Apple will adopt remain unclear. There’s anticipation for vapor chambers similar to those seen in Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series. This cooler is said to “handle heavy AI computing tasks and dissipate up to 6W of power without causing thermal throttling”.

The exact can often be understood in more than one way: is it a 6W ceiling for power dissipation for the chipset, such as A18 Pro, or is it a target for the entire component set? It is unclear if the NAND flash is separated from the logic board; will the iPhone 16 series require another smaller logic board? The list could go on because the information is scarce. But one thing is known: an improvement in cooling has long been needed, as the iPhone 15 Pro models with the 3nm A17 Pro in it were limited in performance by cooling.

In addition to the cooling upgrades, leaked images of an alleged iPhone 16 Pro prototype suggest that Apple may encase the battery in a metal shell, potentially as another measure to manage thermals. These internal changes are eagerly anticipated, and enthusiasts hope to learn more when the first teardown of the iPhone 16 becomes available later this year.