Apple’s iPhone lineup has honestly gotten a bit boring. The company has kept the same design and any improvements feel iterative rather than massive. Apple will launch its new iPhone 18 models next year, and so far the most exciting thing we’ve heard is that it could use a new 2nm chip.
New 2nm chip for the iPhone 18
This is according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who reiterates his claim that Apple will use a 2nm chip for the iPhone 18 series. Apple will reportedly tap TSMC to manufacture this chip, and if all goes smoothly, it could become one of the first companies to launch a smartphone with a 2nm chipset.A
Kuo claims that TSMC’s 2nm trial yields have reached 60-70% a few months ago, and right now they’re well above that. This means that TSMC has the capability to produce enough chipsets to meet Apple’s demands. Right now, Apple’s A18 Pro uses TSMC’s 3nm process.
Apple will reportedly continue using TSMC’s 3nm process for this year’s A19 chip, but this time it’s based on the manufacturer’s newer N3P process, which should deliver some improvements over last year’s model. However, Kuo is pointing out that not all of Apple’s iPhone 18 models will use the new 2nm chip.
Apparently, due to costs, not all models will be equipped with the chipset. This makes sense since Apple typically reserves bleeding edge tech for its higher-end Pro and Pro Max devices.
Foldable iPhone incoming
In addition to the iPhone 18 models in 2026, Apple will launch its foldable iPhone as well. Kuo doesn’t mention if the foldable iPhone will use this new 2nm chip, but there’s a good chance it will.
The foldable iPhone is the biggest shakeup we’ve seen to Apple’s iPhone lineup since its inception. However, it won’t come cheap. Previous rumors have indicated it could cost $2,000. This makes it more expensive than other foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Other than that, not much is known about the iPhone 18 series right now. We’re hearing that it will use the new C2 modem and have cameras with variable aperture. Apple will introduce some design changes to the iPhone 17 lineup, namely to the Pro and Pro Max variants. This means that Apple will probably retain the design for the iPhone 18 and future models.
This means that other than the foldable iPhone, the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup seems like another boring, iterative update.
