Apple is expected to make a major transition in mobile processor design by 2026. The first products of this significant step will be the company’s next-generation chips, the A20 and A20 Pro, based on the 2-nanometer manufacturing process. This new platform not only benefits from smaller lithography technology but also features significant packaging and cache innovations.
A20 and A20 Pro processors are coming
The most critical change expected for the A20 and A20 Pro chipsets is Apple’s shift from its long-standing InFO packaging method to WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module).
This new packaging system combines the core components—the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine—into discrete chips within a single package. This method increases design flexibility and increases manufacturing efficiency. Additionally, the MUF-based manufacturing process will help reduce chip costs, offsetting the high price of 2nm production.
Increases in cache capacity are also becoming a key focus of this new series. The standard A20 chip is planned to feature 8MB of L2 cache for performance cores, 4MB of L2 cache for efficiency cores, and 12MB of SLC cache.
The more powerful A20 Pro is expected to see a leap forward in these figures: 16MB of L2 (performance), 8MB of L2 (efficiency), and an SLC capacity of between 36 and 48MB. These significant increases will directly impact memory bandwidth and GPU performance, providing an additional speed advantage.
Architectural improvements to efficiency cores continue in the A20 series. The A19 Pro’s more than 20% IPC (Instructions Per Clock Cycle) gains without increasing power consumption are further enhanced by the area and energy advantages offered by the 2nm node.
On the graphics processing unit (GPU) side, third-generation Dynamic Cache technology stands out. This system dynamically regulates the amount of memory the GPU needs at any given time, working with smaller memory blocks and maximizing memory usage efficiency.
Frame timing becomes more stable, especially in emulation-based games. Rumors circulate that the A20 Pro will be used in the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Fold, while the standard A20 will be ported to the iPhone 20 series, expected to be released in 2027. All eyes are on the iPhone 18 launch, expected in the last quarter of 2026, for all these details to become official.
