iOS 18 Code Leak Reveals All-New Chip Coming to iPhones, Apple TV, and HomePod Mini
A new leak has revealed several of Apple's next-generation chips coming to future iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and HomePod mini models.
Last month, an individual in China uploaded a YouTube video (with English subtitles) of an alleged iPhone 16 engineering prototype from last year. According to a MacRumors tipster, the device is running an internal build of iOS 18 from March 2024, but it is a non-UI version, meaning that you cannot load the Home Screen or other interfaces.
Within the code for this internal iOS 18 build, there are codenames and identifiers for many upcoming Apple chips, according to the video and our tipster:
- A19 chip for the iPhone 17 Air, and likely iPhone 17e
- A19 Pro chip for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max
- M5 chip for the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro
- M5 Pro chip for the MacBook Pro and Mac mini
- S11 chip for the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3
- C2 modem for the iPhone 17e, likely the entire iPhone 18 lineup, and more
- Proxima, the codename for an all-new Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for the next Apple TV and HomePod mini models and more
Most of those are obvious one-number-higher-than-currently chips, but the all-new "Proxima" chip is a little more interesting. The chip was first reported on last year by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and he said that it would be included in new Apple TV and HomePod mini models launching later this year. He also expects at least some iPhone 17 models to use the chip, along with future iPad and Mac models starting next year.
Similar to how Apple ditched Intel for Mac processors, and how it has started transitioning away from Qualcomm for iPhone modems, the company's planned Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip will allow it to replace a chip that is currently supplied by Broadcom. Apple's chip is expected to support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7, which would be an upgrade for the Apple TV (currently on Wi-Fi 6) and the HomePod mini (currently on Wi-Fi 4).
Our tipster also claimed that Apple has tested a Mac Pro with an M3 Ultra chip, but it is unclear if it will be released at this point. They also uncovered evidence that Apple has no plans to release an M4 Ultra chip, as the company already strongly implied, so it is possible that the Mac Pro might not be updated until an M5 Ultra chip is ready.
Popular Stories
Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several...
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 models. The firmware has a build number of 8A358, up from 8A356.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the prior 8A356 update added iOS 26 features to the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with ANC. The software introduced better audio quality ...
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari.
More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
With the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple updated the design of alarms set on the iPhone, making them harder to dismiss than before.
Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe.
Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to...
A new iPad mini is "absolutely" on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released a year ago?
Processor and Performance
Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in...
After launching new iPhones last month, Apple is promoting iCloud+ with a prominent banner on its home page, in a bid to boost its services revenue. In addition to more storage, all iCloud+ plans include five perks for iPhone users.
As a refresher, iCloud includes 5GB of storage for free. If you want extra storage, you need to subscribe to an iCloud+ plan. In the United States, prices range...
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, introducing useful changes to alarms, multitasking on the iPad, and more. There are also subtle tweaks to some of the Liquid Glass design elements as Apple continues to refine iOS 26.
Alarms and Timers
Alarms set using the Clock app now have a slide to stop button rather than a tap to stop button on the Lock Screen. To snooze an...
Apple's website offers a list of nearly 200 new features and changes (PDF file) included in the software update, released last month.
Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.
iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, and tap on Software Update.
Below, we have highlighted eight ...
Supplies of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro model appear to be constrained amid rumors that an upgraded M5 model could launch as soon as this year.
As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, custom configurations of the M4 MacBook Pro model have a delayed shipping date and will not be delivered to customers until October 23 to 28. The restricted supply could be an indication that Apple is planning to...
