The iPhone 17 is still a few months away from hitting shelves, and leaks about the iPhone 18 are already making waves as it might come with a big leap in performance. The problem is that this upgrade might result in an increase in the final cost of the device, making it more expensive than ever.
According to a fresh leak, the iPhone 18 lineup is expected to feature the next-gen A20 chip, reportedly built on a 2nm process. This is even more efficient than the rumoured A19 chip that would be used in the iPhone 17 series. The iPhone 17 series is expected to use the same 3nm in the 16 series with some enhancements. Although this might lead to a price bump, it will also result in a more powerful device with better efficiency and longer battery life.
Potential Reason Behind the iPhone 18 Price Hike
While the performance gains sound exciting, the price hikes could become a significant issue. This is due to the increased cost of producing 2nm chips, which are more challenging to manufacture and require extensive R&D by the company to squeeze more transistors into a tiny space. This will make everything from gaming to AI processing noticeably smoother. Another potential factor could be the international tariffs following the new tariff policy introduced by Donald Trump.
On the other hand, other major chipmakers like Qualcomm and MediaTek are also planning to transition to the 2nm process in 2026. So, it might not just be Apple facing price increases but we could see the same for Android flagship smartphones as well.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Apple’s shift to 2nm chips. Last year, Ming-Chi Kuo also mentioned that these 2nm chips might be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Is the Wait Worth For the iPhone 18 Series?
If your priority is performance, then the wait might be worth it. But, the iPhone 17 series is rumoured to bring a redesign and some video improvements, which could be more than enough to make you reconsider waiting for the performance bump that the iPhone 18 might offer after nearly two years down the line. So, if you were planning on going for the iPhone 17 series, waiting for the iPhone 18 just for that extra raw power might be a stretch.
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