Introduction

On May 26, 2025, industry sources reported that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will include a new AI accelerator core designed to run lightweight large language models (LLMs) and multimodal inference locally. The report, backed by supply chain data from Taiwan, suggests that Apple will introduce a new chip segment called “NeuralCore” within its A19 Pro SoC.

“Apple’s pushing LLMs into your pocket,” said Ming-Chi Kuo, the veteran Apple analyst.¹ “This isn’t just about Siri—it’s about local search, summarization, and camera workflows powered entirely on-device.”

The NeuralCore is expected to support 4-bit quantized models and operate at under 1.5W for sustained workloads. Apple’s goal: provide real-time AI without cloud latency or privacy tradeoffs. It is rumored to ship with Gemini Nano-class inference capacity and integrate tightly with iOS 19’s upcoming “Live Intelligence” features.

Why it matters now

• On-device AI is key for latency-sensitive tasks and user data privacy.
• Apple’s tight integration of silicon and software accelerates LLM adoption.
• The iPhone 17 could become the first mass-market product with local multimodal reasoning.

Call-out: The AI war just moved to your pocket

Apple is expected to support on-device summarization, transcription, emotion recognition, and spatial awareness, all without requiring internet access.

Business implications

For developers, Apple’s on-device AI unlocks new capabilities without depending on cloud APIs or subscriptions. Privacy-centric apps, assistive technologies, and real-time media tools stand to benefit.

Enterprise IT departments will gain new compliance-friendly platforms for mobile workflows. AI-driven CRM apps, voice-activated dashboards, and field-force enablement could run natively on employee phones.

Looking ahead

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup in September 2025. NeuralCore may debut in both Pro and Pro Max tiers. WWDC in June is likely to preview key iOS 19 SDKs supporting local LLM integration and Apple’s new Private AI model update protocol.

Gartner forecasts that by 2030, over 50% of mobile AI interactions will be performed without a network connection, up from less than 8% in 2024.

The upshot: With the iPhone 17, Apple could make offline large language models (LLMs) as mainstream as portrait mode or Face ID. In this wave of disruption, intelligence isn’t just ambient—it’s in your palm, even on airplane mode.

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¹ Ming-Chi Kuo, TF International Securities Brief, May 26, 2025.