Overview
- During its "Surprise and Shine" event on September 9, Apple unveiled a new Siri AI powered by Google's Gemini technology, a partnership reportedly valued at around $1 billion annually. Notably, this new Siri will not be available on iPhones or iPads in the European Union at launch.
- The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be equipped with the A20 Pro chip, which is Apple's inaugural chip fabricated using TSMC's 2-nanometer process. This chip boasts a dual Neural Engine with 32 cores, effectively doubling the capacity of its predecessor.
- Apple's first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, will be priced starting at $1,999 for the 256GB model, reaching nearly $3,000 for higher configurations, and will not be available until October, a month after the other new products.
John Ternus made his debut as Apple's CEO on Wednesday, leading the "Surprise and Shine" event just eight days into his new role. He succeeded Tim Cook, who transitioned to executive chairman after 15 years at the helm of the company.
During his keynote, Ternus highlighted a revamped Siri and introduced a cutting-edge 2-nanometer chip designed with artificial intelligence capabilities in mind.
"This is the fastest chip ever included in an iPhone," Ternus stated during the presentation, referring to the A20 Pro. He emphasized the concept of an "ideal" personal device that is "always with you, deeply personal, and capable of delivering intelligence when it matters most," before discussing the iPhone 18 series.
Siri AI
Siri AI represents the most significant overhaul of Apple's assistant since its launch in 2011. The new version can engage in conversations, reference on-screen content, and perform actions across more than 300,000 third-party applications without requiring users to restate context. The assistant was initially showcased at WWDC in June, where Apple described it as operating on a system that combines on-device models with Private Cloud Compute for more demanding tasks. The upgraded Siri AI is finally being rolled out this month in beta for devices located in supported regions.
This new version of Siri features enhanced capabilities and a smoother voice, moving away from the robotic tone that has characterized it since its inception.
The A20 Pro: Apple's First 2-Nanometer Chip Designed for AI
The A20 Pro marks Apple's initial chip built on TSMC's 2-nanometer (N2) technology, making it the first smartphone chip to utilize this node. The smaller transistors allow Apple to increase processing power without escalating thermal output or battery consumption.
According to Apple, the chip's six-core CPU, divided into two high-performance "super cores" and four efficiency cores, is up to 20% faster than the A19 Pro. The seven-core GPU, which has been upgraded from six cores, delivers performance improvements of up to 40%. Additionally, memory bandwidth has increased by 50%, which is particularly beneficial for on-device AI applications where bandwidth is often a limiting factor for running language models locally instead of in the cloud.
A key enhancement for AI tasks is the dual 32-core Neural Engine, which has doubled from the previous 16-core configuration maintained across three generations of chips. Apple is also introducing a new cooling system with a vapor chamber that has three times the surface area of its predecessor, enabling the chip to handle intensive AI operations—such as those required for the new Siri AI—without overheating.
iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the $1,999 Foldable
The iPhone 18 Pro retains its 6.3-inch display, while the Pro Max sports a 6.9-inch screen, with both models largely similar to the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has introduced new finishes—Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy—and a reduced Dynamic Island.
The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foray into foldable devices, features a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner screen that unfolds like a compact tablet. This model starts at $1,999 for the 256GB version and can reach approximately $3,000 for the 2TB variant. It is available in dark blue and white, and is the first iPhone compatible with the Apple Pencil. Unlike previous models, it uses Touch ID instead of Face ID and will not be available until October, lagging behind the rest of the new lineup.
iOS 27, which features the new Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence capabilities, will be released on September 14. It will be compatible with any iPhone starting from the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE, though Siri AI and Apple Intelligence functionalities will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models.