Apple iPhone 18 Pro to Feature A20 Pro Chip on TSMC 2nm Process

Apple plans to power the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with the A20 Pro chip manufactured on TSMC's 2nm N2 process. The same chip will appear in the foldable iPhone scheduled for release in September 2026 (as per the rumors).

iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange

The A20 Pro chip incorporates TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module packaging. This approach integrates RAM directly onto the wafer with the CPU, GPU and Neural Engine. The design replaces the previous method that connected RAM via a silicon interposer.

Reports indicate the change will support faster Apple Intelligence operations and free up internal space for additional components.

Performance projections for the A20 Pro include gains of up to 15% in speed and 30% in efficiency over the A19 chips.

The A20 Pro chip also features new super-high-performance metal-insulator-metal capacitors in its power delivery system. These capacitors double capacitance density and cut sheet resistance and via resistance by 50% each. The improvements target better power stability and energy use.

Supply chain details point to larger batteries in the iPhone 18 Pro Max to complement the chip's efficiency.

The eSIM-only variant is expected to carry between 5,100 mAh and 5,200 mAh. Models with a physical SIM slot are projected at around 5,000 mAh.

These figures exceed the capacities in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which measure 5,088 mAh for eSIM versions and 4,832 mAh for nano-SIM versions.

Component costs for the 2nm process have risen because of demand at TSMC. Apple has pursued supply chain adjustments including memory negotiations to offset the increases.

Analyst Jeff Pu reported that the company’s goal is to keep starting selling prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max “unchanged or at a similar level” to their predecessors.

The iPhone Pro models carry starting prices of $1,099 and $1,199.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will also include 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 48MP rear cameras and the Apple C2 modem.

Pro models are set to launch in September 2026, while Standard iPhone 18 models are expected in spring 2027 under a revised release schedule that's not yet confirmed by any leak or an official statement by Apple.