Skip to main content

Next-gen iPhone CPU could be 500x more powerful than the SoC in the original iPhone

Web Hosting & Remote IT Support
  • iPhone chip performance has improved 385x since 2007 launch, according to benchmarks
  • A17 and A18 chips in iPhone 16 models continue Apple’s efficient performance trend
  • Next-gen iPhone could push CPU performance past 500x original iPhone processor

A new investigation from PC Watch has compared the performance of Apple’s smartphone chips over time, and found the iPhone CPU has improved by 384.9x since the original model launched in 2007.

The analysis used Geekbench data to track performance across generations, estimating an average annual improvement rate of around 40%.

Based on that trajectory, the next-generation iPhone 17 Pro, expected later in 2025, could push that figure past the 500x mark.

More performance-focused

The original iPhone, which Steve Jobs launched back in 2007, was powered by a ARM11-based SoC from Samsung. That chip had a rated frequency of 620MHz but it actually ran at just 412MHz.

For the iPhone 3GS, released two years later, Apple went for a Cortex-A8 core Samsung CPU (APL0298C05) marking the beginnings of more performance-focused chip design.

In 2013, Apple launched the iPhone 5s, which was the first smartphone to ship with a 64-bit processor, the Apple A7 (Cyclone). The move nudged Apple ahead of the rest of the mobile industry at the time.

Apple’s design philosophy has long focused on balancing power with efficiency. While Android chipmakers embraced eight- and ten-core designs, Apple has stuck with six-core layouts since 2017, typically featuring two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores.

Despite that, Apple consistently ranks at or near the top in both single-threaded and multi-core performance.

2024’s iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro continued that approach. The standard models use the A17 Bionic chip, built on a 3nm process, and scored over 8100 on PC Watch's Geekbench 6 testing. The Pro models use the A18 Bionic, which achieved scores above 8500 and feature core clocks exceeding 4GHz.

For comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro Max from 2021 scored about 5700 in the same benchmark. That translates to a 50% improvement over three years.

The performance increases achieved by the various generations of iPhone from 2007 onwards is clearly huge, but there are caveats to the methodology used for testing. It’s important to note that the numbers include estimated conversions for the older iPhones which predate modern benchmarks.

You might also like



via Hosting & Support
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Web Hosting
Remote IT Support
Sites & Socials
Computing Handbook - $9.95

Popular posts from this blog

Microsoft, Google, and Meta have borrowed EV tech for the next big thing in data centers: 1MW watercooled racks

Web Hosting & Remote IT Support Liquid cooling isn't optional anymore, it's the only way to survive AI's thermal onslaught The jump to 400VDC borrows heavily from electric vehicle supply chains and design logic Google’s TPU supercomputers now run at gigawatt scale with 99.999% uptime As demand for artificial intelligence workloads intensifies, the physical infrastructure of data centers is undergoing rapid and radical transformation. The likes of Google, Microsoft, and Meta are now drawing on technologies initially developed for electric vehicles (EVs), particularly 400VDC systems, to address the dual challenges of high-density power delivery and thermal management. The emerging vision is of data center racks capable of delivering up to 1 megawatt of power, paired with liquid cooling systems engineered to manage the resulting heat. Borrowing EV technology for data center evolution The shift to 400VDC power distribution marks a decisive break from legacy sy...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google’s AI Mode can explain what you’re seeing even if you can’t

Web Hosting & Remote IT Support Google’s AI Mode now lets users upload images and photos to go with text queries The feature combines Google Gemini and Lens AI Mode can understand entire scenes, not just objects Google is adding a new dimension to its experimental AI Mode by connecting Google Lens's visual abilities with Gemini . AI Mode is a part of Google Search that can break down complex topics, compare options, and suggest follow-ups. Now, that search includes uploaded images and photos taken on your smartphone. The result is a way to search through images the way you would text but with much more complex and detailed answers than just putting a picture into reverse image search. You can literally snap a photo of a weird-looking kitchen tool and ask, “What is this, and how do I use it?” and get a helpful answer, complete with shopping links and YouTube demos. AI Eyes If you take a picture of a bookshelf, a plate of food, or the chaotic interior of your junk...
Post a Comment
Read more

Passing the torch to a new era of open source technology

Web Hosting & Remote IT Support The practice of developing publicly accessible technologies and preventing monopolies of privately-owned, closed-source infrastructure was a pivotal technological movement in the 1990s and 2000s. The open source software movement was viewed at the time as a form of ‘digital civil duty’, democratizing access to technology. However, while the movement's ethos underpins much of today’s technological landscape, its evolution has proven to be a challenge for its pioneers. Hurdles Facing Young Developers Open source models successfully paved a path for the development of a multitude of technologies, cultivating a culture of knowledge sharing, collaboration , and community along the way. Unfortunately, monetizing such projects has always been a challenge, and ensuring contributors are compensated for their contributions working on them, even more so. On the other hand, closed-source projects offer greater control, security, and competitive advant...
Post a Comment
Read more