iPhone 18: Potential Price Increase in 2026 Due to A20 Chip Fabricated at 2nm
Apple may soon make wallets cringe. According to a new report from Taiwan, the upcoming A20 chip for the iPhone 18 — produced using 2-nanometer technology by TSMC — will be significantly costlier to manufacture than previous generations.
According to China Times, TSMC plans to raise the price of its 2nm wafers by up to 50% compared to the current 3nm N3P technology used for the A19 chip in the iPhone 17.
Apple had already absorbed a similar increase when moving from 4nm to 3nm with the iPhone 16.
This time, however, the Cupertino giant may struggle to absorb this spike without affecting final prices. Analysts estimate that in 2026, the base model of the iPhone 18 could see a price increase of $50 to $100, surpassing the $849 mark in the United States, or about €1,000 in France.
Apple is not alone in this situation. Future Snapdragon chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek’s Dimensity — intended for most high-end Android smartphones — will also be produced on 2nm, facing similar pricing pressures.
iPhone 18: A Shift in Release Schedule
Another possible consequence is that Apple might postpone the launch of its standard models. The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max would still launch in the fall of 2026 as usual, while the standard iPhone 18 would be pushed back to early 2027, accompanied by an iPhone 18e, a more affordable model expected to replace the SE lineup.
This delay in the release could help Apple better manage its production costs and allow more media attention for the highly anticipated foldable iPhone.
Unmatched Power… But at What Cost?
The transition to 2nm is expected to bring substantial energy efficiency gains and unparalleled power, but it raises a crucial question: how much are consumers willing to pay to stay at the cutting edge?
With competitors like OPPO and Xiaomi already offering powerful flagships for several hundred euros less, Apple and Samsung will have to justify every dollar of their premium positioning more than ever.
If these rumors prove true, the iPhone 18 lineup may signify a major turning point — both for technology and for Apple’s pricing strategy.
