In a report published on March 18 by Fast Technology, analyst Jeff Pu revealed in his latest research note that the A20 chip destined for the iPhone 18 series will not adopt TSMC's advanced 2nm process, as previously speculated. Instead, it will continue to leverage the second-generation 3nm process (N3P).

This choice aligns with the A19 chip expected to power the iPhone 17 series, suggesting that the performance uplift for the iPhone 18 series might be relatively modest.

Pu further indicated that while the A20 chip will undergo certain upgrades, these enhancements will primarily benefit Apple's Intelligence functions. The chip will integrate TSMC's CoWoS packaging technology, facilitating a tighter coupling between the processor, unified memory, and neural engine.

If these details prove accurate, the first iPhone chip to embrace TSMC's 2nm technology will be the A21 chip, anticipated to debut as early as 2027.

Mark Gurman, another reputable source, recently disclosed that by 2026 or 2027, the Dynamic Island on iPhone Pro models will shrink, as Apple intends to relocate more components beneath the display.

This hints at the possibility of Apple introducing an under-display Face ID solution as early as the iPhone 18 Pro series. At that point, iPhone 18 Pro models may retain only a single front camera, mirroring the single punch-hole design seen on Android devices like the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25.