- The iPhone 18 is again tipped to make the 2 nm switch
- It means more power and a higher cost to make
- The phones are due to launch in September next year
Should you upgrade to the iPhone 17 this year, or wait for the iPhone 18? A new leak suggests that the 2026 iPhone is going to come with a significant performance boost, but might also have a notably higher price tag.
This comes from seasoned tipster Digital Chat Station on Chinese social media site Weibo (via MacRumors). Apparently, the A20 chip destined for the iPhone 18 series will switch from a 3 nanometer to a 2 nanometer manufacturing process – essentially packing more transistors into the same space.
That should mean a major boost in performance and efficiency (which then improves battery life). iPhone chips get faster every year of course, but where a nanometer (nm) jump is involved, the differences in generations should be even greater.
We’ve heard this rumor before, from well-placed sources, and we’re even more likely to believe it now that it’s been repeated again. Expect Apple to make a lot of noise about the performance of its iPhones when next year rolls around.
It’ll cost you
The same tipster says (via Google Translate) that the cost of these chips is expected to “increase significantly”, with “another round of price increases for new phones”. Add in current tariff uncertainty, and the 2026 iPhone series could be the most expensive yet.
Other chip makers, including Qualcomm and MediaTek, are apparently moving to the same 2 nm process next year as well – so flagship smartphones might be more expensive across the board, not just when it comes to Apple’s offerings.
Again, this is something that other tipsters have predicted. This isn’t a completely new rumor, but it adds to the mounting evidence that the iPhone 18 handsets are going to be impressively powerful… and perhaps rather pricey too.
Expect more rumors like this for the rest of this year and into the next one. In the meantime, we’re hearing that the iPhone 17 range could come with a substantial redesign, certain video recording improvements, and a brand new model.
