Apple’s 2nm Chips Skip iPhone 17 as TSMC Prepares 2026 Launch for iPhone 18

Apple has decided to wait until 2026 to incorporate TSMC’s 2nm chips into the iPhone 18. The move bypasses the iPhone 17, as TSMC works on scaling its production to meet industry demands and cut costs.

Apple Expected to Skip 2nm Chips for iPhone 17 Series

Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple will hold off on introducing 2nm technology for the iPhone 17 series until the release of the iPhone 18, when the new silicon will be unveiled.

Even then, not all iPhone 18 models would get the 2nm A20, according to Kuo, because of the hefty expenses.

The specific pricing was not disclosed, but according to industry rumors, each 2nm wafer will cost an exorbitant $30,000. Consequently, TSMC needs to hit its monthly production peak in order to potentially lower the price through economies of scale.

TSMC Faces Cost Challenges with 2nm Wafer Production

Morgan Stanley found that expanding monthly wafer output is not feasible due to TSMC's 2nm trial production only producing 10,000 units, as reported by MyDrivers.

Apple and others will be able to place orders with confidence when TSMC predicts the figure will reach 50,000 units next year and an astounding 80,000 units by 2026.

The 'CyberShuttle' service, which will launch in April of next year, is rumored to be the first step in the cost-cutting efforts being considered by the Taiwanese foundry behemoth.

CyberShuttle and Wafer-Sharing to Cut Costs for Apple

Companies like Apple will be able to test their silicon on the same test wafer thanks to this method, which is also called wafer-sharing, and it will lead to cost reductions, WCCFTECH explains.

The Cupertino company is planning something else for 2026 when it releases the A20 and A20 Pro chipsets. Rumor has it that both chipsets will use a new packaging method called WMCM, which stands for Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module. This will optimize the decrease of size while enhancing performance.

It is highly probable that Apple will be the first to get TSMC's inaugural 2nm shipments.