iPhone 18 Price Hike Likely Due to ‘Significant’ Cost Increase From Adopting TSMC’s 2nm Process, Tipster Claims

Apple’s iPhone 18 lineup might arrive subsequent yr with a worth hike, in accordance with a tipster, after years of the corporate launching its smartphones on the identical worth. While the Cupertino firm is predicted to launch new smartphones with a subsequent era 2nm ‘A20’ chipset, the price of producing these chips might lead to an increase in iPhone 18 costs. Apple can also be anticipated to launch its purported ‘M6’ chip in 2026, which can also be mentioned to be a 2nm chipset for the Mac and iPad.

Apple Said to Adopt TSMC’s 2nm Process Technology in 2026

In a post on Weibo, person Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) claims that Apple, Qualcomm and MediaTek will undertake TSMC’s superior 2nm course of know-how sooner or later. Apple is predicted to obtain the primary of TSMC’s new 2nm chips, and these are anticipated to reach on the iPhone 18 collection, which might debut within the second half of 2026.

The tipster states that the price of producing these 2nm chips is “anticipated to extend considerably” and means that the iPhone 18 lineup might arrive with a worth hike. The costs of units outfitted with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors are additionally tipped to rise, however there is no phrase on which telephones will probably be outfitted with the brand new chips.

Smartphone fanatics shouldn’t anticipate to see TSMC’s 2nm course of getting used to provide the Apple’s A19 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, or the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chips, in accordance with the leaker. These chips are mentioned to be constructed utilizing TSMC’s N3P node, which was additionally used for the A18 Pro.

TSMC is getting ready new amenities for the manufacturing of the next-generation 2nm chips, and fabrication is predicted to start within the coming months. Previous studies point out that Apple could possibly be the primary firm to obtain 2nm chips produced by TSMC, and the price of these chips is predicted to be increased than those constructed utilizing TSMC’s newest N3P node.

If the claims made by Digital Chat Station are correct, Apple might hike the value of the iPhone for the primary time in over 5 years. The firm has offered the bottom mannequin at $799 (roughly Rs. 68,200) because the iPhone 12, however the elevated value of manufacturing the smartphone’s chipset might outcome within the firm passing the fee to clients.

In December 2024, a report advised that the transfer from TSMC’s 3nm node to 2nm would result in the value of a processor rising from $50 (roughly Rs. 4,300) to $85 (roughly Rs. 7,300) — a 70 p.c leap. At the time, it was believed that solely the iPhone 18 Pro fashions would ship with a 2nm chips so Apple might hold the beginning worth of the iPhone unchanged.

Howeer, Apple might additionally face rising prices from the tariffs on semiconductors and the electronics provide chain proposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this week. If the corporate decides to maneuver manufacturing a portion of its iPhone manufacturing to the US, it could trigger manufacturing prices to extend and clients may need to pay a better worth for upcoming iPhone fashions.