We’re accustomed to new smartphone models being announced every year or two, promising faster chips and better battery life, but not much else. This time it’s different.

Apple’s 2028 iPhone is the first phone that can really lay claim to being a portable supercomputer. Using memory and data technology previously only found in server farms and cloud computing platforms, the new iPhone Pro Z can process video and do image recognition in a flash, and run smart queries without breaking a sweat.

“We’ve put ‘intelligence’ back into AI,” said Apple chief engineer Eric Daus, “and you can do it all on the device, without relying on a super-fast connection to the cloud!” The breakthrough tech is called low-energy phase-change memory, and uses excitons rather than electrons to move data around, with no wasted heat.

“We’ve ditched traditional semiconductors for nanoelectronic lattices,” continued Daus, “but don’t let the tech confuse you. What it means is ultrafast performance, it doesn’t get hot, and the battery lasts for ages.”

Since Stanford researchers discovered this method of creating memory cells in 2021, a new era of ultrafast computing was born, but this is the first time it has been successfully implemented in a mobile device. We can expect this type of memory to find its way onto all sorts of smart devices and wearables, adding performance to the ‘internet of everything’ and powering smart cities.

So, when you’re on the go and need things to happen in a hurry, or have an urgent request for your AI assistant, it’s nice to know you’ve got a supercomputer in your pocket!

Note: This is a scenario from the future, and not a review of Apple’s latest iPhone.