iPhone 18 Pro's ambitious A20 Pro chip is now causing problems

The iPhone 18 Pro's A20 Pro chip is reportedly set to use Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)'s 2nm technology. The move from the third-generation 3nm process should result in up to 15% faster speeds or a 30% decrease in power consumption.

The process shift isn't the only reason the A20 Pro will bring significant improvements. Apple is reportedly ditching Integrated Fan-Out Package-on-Package (InFO-PoP) packaging in favor of Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM). A global RAM crunch is threatening to throw a wrench into Apple's launch timeline.

RAM is holding everything up

InFO-PoP stacked DRAM on top of the System-on-a-Chip (SoC) to minimize thickness. The WMCM process is an extension of TSMC’s CoWoS 2.5D packaging technology, which integrates memory and the processor at the wafer level.

A quick primer: silicon wafers are the foundational discs diced into individual chips. To finish a WMCM package, memory must be bonded to the processor wafer during production.

That's where Apple has run into a wall.

According to Taipei-based journalist Tim Culpan, Apple is struggling to secure enough memory chips for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. Without those memory chips, wafers are accumulating because they can't be packaged and proceed to the next step without DRAM.

An estimated $1 billion worth of Apple chips is stuck at TSMC. Consequently, the main logic board (MLB) assembly and final production, which are handled by China’s BYD and Taiwan’s Foxconn, is being delayed.

How would you feel about shipment delays?

Shortages expected

Apple reportedly plans to produce 200 million units of the iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18, and iPhone 18 Pro over their lifecycle. The foldable iPhone Ultra will account for under 10% of those, with the rest split evenly between the Pro and standard models.

Given the RAM shortage, limited inventory will likely be available at release.

Why bother with WMCM?

iPhone 18 Pro's motherboard | Image by @Reptalicant

By housing the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and memory inside the same package, WMCM cuts communication delays, boosting performance while keeping thermals in check.

That's crucial not only for everyday performance but also for AI features, such as the ones the revamped Apple Intelligence suite will offer.

A leaked motherboard image suggests Apple is shifting DRAM to prevent heat buildup over the processor. Add in the rumored shift from 64-bit LPDDR5X memory to 96-bit LPDDR6 memory, and you can look forward to higher bandwidth and better sustained performance during heavy gaming or AI workloads.

A frenzied launch

Uncertainty is already clouding the launch of iPhone Ultra, which may or may not have run into production problems depending on whom you believe. Now it looks like the iPhone 18 Pro may also be hard to come by.

If the phone offers faster sustained performance, improved power efficiency, and fewer delays, the wait might be worth it.

iPhones no longer have the undisputed performance edge over Android phones they once did. The adoption of new technologies for the iPhone 18 Pro could change that.

Wondering how the iPhone 17 Pro and top Androids stack up in performance?

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has surpassed it in multitasking performance
But the iPhone 17 Pro Max is still better at everyday tasks
While the Pixel 10 Pro doesn't even want to compete

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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