The Apple iPhone of 2026 will use TSMC's next-generation 2-nanometer manufacturing process in combination with a new packaging method that will integrate 12 GB of RAM, claims an authoritative source of accurate predictions about Apple's plans.
In a post on Weibo on Tuesday, Chinese-language user "Phone Chip Expert" reported that Apple's A20 chip in iPhone 18 models will change the previous InFo (Integrated Fan-Out) packaging to WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) packaging, and the memory will be upgraded to 12 GB.
< p>In terms of packaging differences, InFo allows components, including memory, to be integrated inside the package, but focuses more on single die packaging, where memory is typically attached to the main system on the processor (eg DRAM placed on top of or near CPU and GPU cores). It is optimized to reduce the size and increase the performance of individual chips.
WMCM, on the other hand, is great for integrating multiple chips into a single package (hence the “Multi-Crystal Module” part). This method allows more complex systems such as CPUs, GPUs, DRAM, and other special accelerators (such as AI/ML chips) to be tightly integrated into a single package. This provides more flexibility in the location of different types of chips, stacking them vertically or side by side, and also optimizes the communication between them.
As for memory, all current iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM, which is considered the minimum requirement for Apple Intelligence. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects next year's iPhone 17 Pro to have 12 GB of RAM, so Apple may make this the new standard for the next iPhone 18 series.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Having said that, Kuo also believes that only the "Pro" the iPhone 18 series will likely use TSMC's next-generation 2nm technology due to pricing concerns. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether manufacturing technology and memory size are inextricably intertwined in Apple's plans.
Nanometer generations
Terms like "3 nm" and 2nm describe generations of chip manufacturing technologies, each with its own set of design and architecture rules. As these numbers decrease, they usually indicate smaller transistor sizes. Smaller-sized transistors allow more to fit on a single chip, which typically results in increased processing speed and improved power efficiency. This year's iPhone 16 series is based on the A18 chip design, built on the second-generation 3nm "N3E" process.
TSMC plans to start manufacturing 2nm chips in late 2025, and Apple is expected to be the first company , which will receive chips created according to a new technological process. TSMC typically builds new factories when it needs to increase production capacity to fulfill large chip orders, and TSMC is expanding its 2nm technology significantly.
Phone Chip Expert Liquor; has a track record of accurate predictions. They were the first to correctly identify that the standard iPhone 14 models will continue to use the A15 Bionic chip, while the more advanced A16 chip will be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro. More recently, they were the first source of information that Apple is developing its own server processor with artificial intelligence on TSMC's 3nm process, aiming for mass production by the second half of 2025.