iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone 18 Fold likely to feature the A20 chipset based on 2nm process

iPhone

Apple is planning a major transformation for its upcoming chips used in the iPhones, and the impact could be huge. Until now, the latest chipsets from Apple, such as the Apple A18 Pro and A17 Pro powering phones such as the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro models, have been manufactured using TSMC's 3nm manufacturing process. However, this could change in 2026, as an analyst has predicted that Apple will make the switch to a more power-efficient 2nm chipset to power the iPhone 18 series, which is also expected to bring other performance benefits.

As per information originating from industry insider Jeff Pu via 9to5 Mac, Apple will switch to TSMC's 2nd-gen 2nm manufacturing process (N2) for its next-generation A20 chip, which is expected to debut in 2026 with the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone 18 Fold, Apple's first foldable device.

With the new fabrication process, the Cupertino-based tech giant is also expected to use a new chip packaging technique called WMCM, or Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, which will reportedly bring the various components, such as the chipset, DRAM, closer together at the wafer level itself, providing improved thermal efficiency.

Moreover, this fabrication process will also result in lower power consumption and improved sustained performance under heavy load. The analyst also adds that Apple’s chip partner TSMC is setting up a dedicated production line and expects to start producing up to 50,000 wafers per month by late 2026, which could be doubled in 2027, as more devices adopt this technology. This change in chip design is also expected to bring longer battery life, faster app launches, and better handling of AI features.