Apple will likely name its first 2nm chipset as A20, with the possibility that there is a higher-end A20 Pro that is exclusive to the more expensive iPhone 18 range. Initially, we were thoroughly disappointed when we learned that GF Securities’ analyst Jeff Pu talked about the 2026 models being treated to a silicon that would be mass produced on TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process. Thankfully, a different analyst believes the 2nm upgrade will arrive a year from now, and based on how he has worded his post, it could hint that the entire iPhone 18 lineup will be treated to this chipset.
Analyst also states that TSMC’s 2nm yields should have greatly improved since its trial production run, increasing the chances that the iPhone 18 series features the upgrade
A post from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo talks about Apple’s 2nm chipset arriving for the iPhone 18 series in the second half of 2026. Earlier, Kuo mentioned that only certain models will be treated to the bleeding-edge silicon because of increased costs, suggesting that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will ship exclusively with the newer hardware, while the less expensive models could feature a 3nm N3P SoC. Fortunately, the analyst has made no revelations here, and since he mentions ‘iPhones’ instead of a singular term, it is more than likely that the 2nm A20 will be a part of the entire lineup.
However, there could still be some differentiation, with the base A20 and the A20 Pro separated by the number of GPU cores, as Apple has followed this practice with the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max when it announced the A18 and A18 Pro. In fact, the iPhone 16e also ships with an A18, but it is the subject of additional chip-binning as it features a 4-core GPU compared to the 5-core configuration on the regular A18. Kuo might be confident in his prediction because of TSMC’s progress with the 2nm process.
Reiterating my prediction from six months ago: the 2H26 new iPhones (iPhone 18) will be powered by TSMC’s 2nm chips.
Worth noting, TSMC’s 2nm R&D trial yields reached 60–70% three months ago, and they’re now well above that. https://t.co/ZoWXFqfUnS
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 22, 2025
Earlier, we reported that the Taiwanese semiconductor giant’s trial production run on the advanced lithography achieved a 60 percent yield, with Kuo noting that this figure would likely be higher now. This progress level should allow TSMC to increase its monthly wafer production to the point where it can deliver timely 2nm shipments to Apple. Later this year, the A19 and A19 Pro are expected to be fabricated on TSMC’s 3nm ‘N3P’ technology, but there is no telling if the company will increase the technological gap next year against Qualcomm and MediaTek or if these two firms also leverage the 2nm process.
News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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