Leaked iPhone 18 Pro motherboard image suggests new chip packaging and performance upgrades
A purported photo of the iPhone 18 Pro motherboard shows Apple’s upcoming A20 Pro processor using TSMC’s wafer-level multi-chip module packaging, which could improve heat management and AI capabilities.
A photo circulating on Chinese social platform Weibo, posted by accounts identified as "WHYLAB" and "Ice Universe," appears to show the motherboard of Apple’s next-generation iPhone 18 Pro. The image depicts the A20 Pro processor integrated with TSMC’s wafer-level multi-chip module (WMCM) packaging, a departure from Apple’s traditional package-on-package (PoP) design.
In the WMCM layout, the DRAM is positioned beside the processor rather than stacked on top, a change that could reduce thermal coupling and improve heat dissipation during sustained tasks. The chip is also reported to incorporate LPDDR6 memory with a 96-bit bus, which may deliver more energy-efficient bandwidth.
The A20 Pro’s physical dimensions are said to be comparable to the current A19 Pro, but the neural processing unit (NPU) appears larger, indicating a focus on enhanced artificial-intelligence performance. Analysts have linked the chip to TSMC’s new 2-nanometer (N2) process, which is projected to offer up to 15 % higher speed and 30 % better efficiency than the A19.
Additional details from the leak include the use of TSMC’s super-high-performance metal-insulator-metal (SHPMIM) capacitors, which reportedly double capacitance density compared with previous generations, potentially improving power stability and overall efficiency.
The same source suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro and its foldable counterpart will share 12 GB of RAM, a 48-megapixel rear camera, and Apple’s C2 modem, with a launch slated for September. The authenticity of the image has not been independently verified.