Every year, Apple prepares new chips for the latest iPhones. But it looks like the A20 Pro chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra this fall could be something even more special. Here are two big rumored upgrades.
#1: A20 Pro will be the first 2-nanometer iPhone chip
You can always bet that Apple will deliver improvements to the latest generation of chips. But some years bring bigger upgrades than others, and the new A20 Pro chip is expected to be a standout.
That’s because Apple will be using TSMC’s new 2-nanometer process for chip manufacturing with the A20 Pro.
The switch from the current 3nm process to 2nm will allow the A20 Pro to deliver more power and operate more efficiently within a similarly sized chip footprint.
We see this development every time there is a significant evolution in manufacturing technology. That’s why Apple has been working for years to ensure TSMC’s cutting-edge products. This will help the company maintain its lead in chips found not only in iPhones, but also in iPads, Macs, and more.
We don’t know which specific areas Apple will focus on improving with the A20 Pro, but thanks to 2nm, the company will have more headroom than usual.
#2: Switch to wafer-level multichip modules for even more benefits
In addition to the 2nm advantage, the A20 Pro is also expected to have another unique improvement thanks to a packaging innovation called wafer-level multi-chip module.
My colleague Marcus gave me the details.
For the first time, Apple will use wafer-level multichip module (WMCM) packaging for iPhone processors. WMCM allows the integration of various components such as SoC and DRAM directly at the wafer level before they are broken down into separate chips.
It uses a technology that connects the die without the need for an interposer or substrate, offering both thermal and signal integrity benefits.
In other words, Apple’s next-generation chips won’t just be smaller and more power efficient thanks to N2. It’s also physically closer to onboard memory, which could improve performance and reduce power consumption for tasks like AI processing and high-end gaming.
With WMCM, the A20 Pro is expected to be especially capable in AI tasks. This isn’t surprising, as iOS 27’s rumored headline features seem to be entirely AI-centric.
In what areas would you like to see the most improvement in the iPhone 18 Pro? Let us know in the comments.
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(Tag translation)iPhone 18 Pro Max
