Apple’s A20 Chip Set to Be the Most Expensive Ever Used in an iPhone, Costing $280 Each
The upcoming Apple A20 chip, produced by TSMC using its 2nm process, is set to become the most expensive chip ever used in an iPhone. According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily, the A20 will cost around $280 per unit, an increase of nearly 80% compared to the A19 that powers the current iPhone 17 lineup.
This sharp price jump is mainly due to the introduction of TSMC’s advanced 2-nanometer N2P process, which not only reduces the node size but also marks a major technological leap forward.
New TSMC Technology Behind the A20
For the first time on a large scale, TSMC will use nanosheet transistor technology, also known as Gate-All-Around (GAA). This innovation allows the transistor gate to completely wrap around the nanosheet channel, offering superior electrostatic control and improving logic density by up to 1.2 times compared to previous generations.
The N2P process also includes high-efficiency metal interlayer capacitors, which enhance both performance and power efficiency. However, this increased sophistication comes at a cost. TSMC’s 2nm capacity is already under pressure — Apple has reportedly reserved half of TSMC’s total 2nm production, leaving limited availability for other major clients.
Details of the Upcoming Apple A20 Chip
Another major upgrade in the A20 is the transition from InFO packaging to WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) technology. While InFO integrated multiple components on a single die, WMCM combines multiple dies into a single package.
This new approach offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing Apple to create different A20 versions — such as the A20 and A20 Pro — by varying the number of CPU and GPU cores. WMCM also enables each die to manage its own power consumption independently, providing power only when needed and boosting overall efficiency.
From an architectural standpoint, the A20 is expected to feature optimized efficiency cores thanks to TSMC’s N2P process, delivering improved performance while maintaining energy efficiency.
