It will be a long time before Apple introduces the iPhone 18. Still, rumors about it suggest that Cupertino has big plans for the phone’s chipset, as the company plans to boost its Apple Intelligence offering. According to leaker Phone Chip Expert on Weibo (via MacRumors), the processors in Apple’s iPhone 18 series will use TSMC’s next-gen 2-nanometer fabrication process with a new packaging method with 12GB of RAM.
Currently, Apple uses the second generation of TSMC’s 3nm manufacturing process. While the iPhone 17 is expected to improve this technology, the next big leap will be with the iPhone 18 and the 2nm manufacturing process.
In addition, Apple will switch from the Integrated Fan-Out packaging to the Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module. Long story short, this method allows for a tight integration of more complex systems and custom accelerators in one package, which will make the iPhone faster, more reliable, and consume less power.
While the leaker doesn’t specify if this change is for all iPhone 18 models, they say Apple will add 12GB of RAM for the 2026 lineup. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported that Apple plans to increase the memory of the iPhone 17 Pro. If the rumor is accurate, this could mean Cupertino could expand RAM for the base-model iPhone 18 in 2026.
More RAM is key to improving the Apple Intelligence platform, which is expected to be powered up in the next couple of years. Currently in beta, Cupertino has high hopes for AI technologies to drive consumers to upgrade to newer devices. By 2026, Apple Intelligence will already be deeply tightened into the iPhone core, as Siri will be able to control and understand context from built-in and third-party apps.
Besides that, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature under-panel Face ID with a new front design, while the regular models will add an Always-On Display and ProMotion.
Below, you can keep an eye on the latest iPhone 17 rumors.
