Cupertino, March 23: The iPhone 18 will be launched in 2026, and it will be an advanced smartphone compared to the iPhone 17 series launched this year with an A19 chipset. In September 2025, Apple is expected to introduce the new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air (instead of iPhone 17 Plus), iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Ultra (instead of iPhone 17 Pro Max). With this new lineup, Apple is expected to change its long-running Plus and Pro Max models and likely introduce significant changes in the design.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 18 would launch globally with TSMC's 2nm technology in the second half of 2026. He further said that TSMC's R&D trial production reached more than 60 to 70% compared to the last three months, and currently, it is growing beyond the stated numbers. The yield numbers showed the percentage of the chips that could be taken per silicon wafer. A silicon wafer is a thin slice of semiconductor with circular disc shapes. It reportedly costs around USD 13 to USD 17 per wafer. Foldable iPhone Launch: Apple Expected To Introduce First-Ever Foldable Smartphone With Liquid Metal Hinges, Say Reports.

Ming-Chi Kuo on iPhone 18 Launch in 2026

Recently, Ming-Chi Kuo said that foldable iPhones could be launched with liquid metal hinges, which Apple had been using for the pin that popped out of the SIM slot. However, this time, the tech giant may include them for hinges and make its upcoming foldable more durable. Analyst Ming1-Chi Kuo has long been associated with leaks and early information about Apple and its products. He said the iPhone 18 would be launched with an A20 chipset, offering higher performance than the A19 in iPhone 17. OpenAI, Meta Partnership With Reliance: Mukesh Ambani’s Conglomerate Discussing ChatGPT Price Reduction, AI and Data Centre Collaboration in India, Say Reports.

According to a report by Macrumors, Apple used N3B 3nm chip fabrication, which was TSMC's first-generation process for the A17 Pro chipset. The company used a second-gen 3nm N3E process for the A18 and A18 Pro chipsets and would likely use TSMC's third-generation N3P fabrication process for the A19 and A19 Pro chipsets. Next year, the iPhone 18 will likely have the A20 and A20 Pro chipsets, which will be based on TSMC's first-generation 2nm N2 process, according to the report.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2025 12:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).