Apple is reportedly planning a transition in its chipset manufacturing strategy for the iPhone 15 Pro and expected iPhone 16 Pro models, moving from TSMC’s 3nm process to a more advanced technology by 2026. Since adopting the ‘Pro’ branding with its chipsets for the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple has benefited from improved efficiency with the introduction of the 4nm A17 Pro chipset compared to the earlier 4nm A16 Bionic processor. Users have experienced enhancements in battery life alongside increased performance levels.
According to a report from 9to5Mac, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu has indicated that Apple intends to utilize TSMC’s second-generation 2nm manufacturing process (N2) for its upcoming A20 chip. This new processor is anticipated to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple’s inaugural foldable device, the iPhone 18 Fold, in 2026.
The 2nm Apple A20 processor promises to be more compact than its predecessors. Pu points out that this latest generation will likely feature a new Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) design, which will bring key components, including the System on Chip (SoC) and DRAM, closer together within the wafer itself.
This approach minimizes the need for a substrate, enhancing thermal efficiency and leading to reduced power consumption—an important factor considering the performance demands of running Apple Intelligence on iOS. The analyst also foresees that TSMC’s 2nm production line will be operational by 2026, with increased capacity for manufacturing these chips slated for 2027.
The existing iPhone 16 Pro model is powered by the A18 Pro SoC, which TSMC fabricates using its 3nm N3E process. This chipset boasts a hexa-core architecture with dual high-performance cores clocked at 4.05GHz, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine capable of executing AI tasks at a rate of 35 TOPS.
