iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Fold to Feature New A20 Chip With Advanced WMCM Packaging [Report]

A new investor note from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu suggests Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 series, which is expected to include foldable models, will use TSMC's next-generation N2 process technology alongside a new Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging for its A20 chips. This would mean some significant advancements in chip integration and performance for future Apple devices.

Pu's report indicates that the A20 chip, slated for the iPhone 18 Fold, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone 18 Pro, will be manufactured using TSMC's N2 process. This aligns with TSMC's recent updates; the company unveiled its A14 1.4nm process for 2028 and noted at that time that its N2 process was on track to begin volume production later this year.

A key development Pu highlighted is the adoption of WMCM packaging for the A20. With this tech, different chip components like the main SoC and DRAM are essentially built together directly on the wafer before being separated. It's said to use something called Redistributed Layer (RDL) technology instead of a typical interposer, which should help with signal quality and keeping things cool.


TSMC is apparently setting up a dedicated WMCM production line at its AP7 facility, using equipment and processes similar to its CoWoS-L (Chip on Wafer on Substrate - Localized) packaging, just without the on-substrate part. Pu forecasts TSMC is preparing WMCM capacity of up to 50,000 wafers per month (KPM) by the end of 2026, potentially jumping to 110-120 KPM by the end of 2027 as adoption picks up.

Other rumors about the iPhone 18 lineup suggest a split launch schedule. That could mean we'd see Pro models in the fall of 2026, with standard versions following in spring 2027. The iPhone 18 Pro models are also said to be in line for a major redesign featuring under-display Face ID and a relocated front camera. There's also talk that the iPhone 18 series could introduce high-capacity 6-channel LPDDR5X memory and might use Samsung Display's new M16 OLED material set. Pu previously reported that Apple might even launch two foldable devices in late 2026.

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