Among all the duty updates that we receive every calendar week , there ’s one more factor that might make Apple ’s iPhones pricier : The switch to TSMC ’s 2 nm procedure node . According to a newfangled leak , Apple , MediaTek , and Qualcomm are well on their way to switch over to the 2 nm process , and that might increase the cost of some of thebest smartphones .
The grim news arrive from frequent leakerDigital Chat Stationon Weibo . harmonise to the tipster , Apple , Qualcomm , and MediaTek are bear to alternate to TSMC ’s 2 micromillimeter process in 2026 . This is good news performance - wise , but not so much as far as costs are refer . TSMC ’s 2 nm mental process will be more efficient , offering best performance across the table , but it ’ll also be more than 3 micromillimeter and 5 Land of Enchantment . Because of that , the leaker predicts : “ There may be another round of golf of terms increases for fresh earphone . ”
Although Apple is said not to be using the 2 nm process for the iPhone 17 , most sources await the ship’s company to utilize it for the iPhone 18 lineup . Analyst Ming - Chi Kuo initially predicted that the faster , more effective 2 nanometer node would be reserved for Apple ’s high - end telephone , starting with the iPhone 18 professional .
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However , asWccftechreports , TSMC ’s payoff have been better than expected , now reaching around 70 % in January . This means there ’ll be more of those 2nm - powered chips to go around . Again , for us , the consumer , this is mostly in force intelligence . It means that Apple ’s entire iPhone 18 lineup might do good from a faster and more efficient chip , improving performance and potentially shelling life .
On the other manus , this also mean that if Apple has to pay more to acquire the process nodes from TSMC , then it might increase the cost of its phones across the entire range .
Wccftech elaborates on what might happen next with the toll of Apple products . According to the publication , Apple is improbable to desire to turn down its profit margins so as to keep the prices the same , so iPhones build on a 2 nm process might come with a tidy price raise in 2026 . Apple will also have to work around consequence tax . If reciprocal duty come into effect , the iPhone 16 Pro might reportedly be $ 1,400 as opposed to $ 999 .
The current generation of iPhones might get away with minimum price hiking ( or none at all ) , but it voice like we might have to yield more for the generations that will follow . As always , recall that nothing is certain until Apple itself says so , and with the iPhone 18 more than a twelvemonth off , leaker are mostly just speculating .
