Apple Silicon's Next Big Upgrade Could Arrive in 2026 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Silicon's Next Big Upgrade Could Arrive in 2026

Apple could upgrade to considerably more advanced 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology as soon as 2026, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple Silicon Teal Feature
In a recent post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple will likely begin to use TSMC's 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology to produce iPhone chips as early as 2026. The iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip is the industry's first 3-nanometer chip, sporting performance and efficiency improvements thanks to its increased transistor density.

If so, this would mirror its use of the 5-nanometer node through the A14, A15, and A16 Bionic chips from 2020 to 2022, where the technology persisted for three years through successive chip generations. The 2026 timeframe would also presumably mean the 3-nanometer node persists for three years through the A17 Pro, "A18," and "A19" from 2023 to 2025.

Like 3-nanometer, 2-nanometer further reduces the smallest possible dimension used in chip manufacturing and increases transistor density, resulting in improved performance and efficiency.

According to Kuo, TSMC is strengthening its vertical integration capabilities with chip designer ARM in an effort to ensure a smooth transition from the current 3-nanometer technology to the next-generation 2-nanometer process. Apple and Nvidia are expected to be among the first clients to place orders for 2-nanometer chips.

Popular Stories

skyrim

Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer

Tuesday October 20, 2026 7:56 pm PDT by
Bethesda's beloved role-playing game "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" has reached multiple generations of consoles since its 2011 debut, but it never officially came to the Mac. A new unofficial project called SkyrimMT now aims to make playing and modding it on Apple silicon Macs easier than ever. Mac owners have found ways to play Skyrim over the years, including installing Windows through...
Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display family lineup feature

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo. Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...
Apple MacBook Pro 14 in with M6 hero

Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M6 Chip

Tuesday October 27, 2026 6:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M6 chip, upgraded connectivity specifications, and more. The M6 chip in the MacBook Pro features a 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 12-core GPU. This is up from the M5 chip with a 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 10-core GPU. M6...

Top Rated Comments

maerz001 Avatar
41 months ago
well many here had high expectations of the 3nm. But seeing the numbers from Apple now for the A17 I don’t know what to expect for a 2nm. I am not hyped
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Leon Ze Professional Avatar
41 months ago
From the wonderlust event, even Apple themselves didn't wheel out the big wigs to announce the A17 pro chip.

I don't know how everyone else felt?

But to me the A17 pro announcement felt rather flat as if Apple themselves weren't quite as excited about this chip as we all expected them to be.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
41 months ago

Serious question. What happens when they get to 1nm? What’s the next step? .5, or some completely new technology all together?
Source:

- https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/smaller-better-faster-imec-presents-chip-scaling-roadmap
- https://www.tomshardware.com/news/imec-reveals-sub-1nm-transistor-roadmap-3d-stacked-cmos-20-plans

Based on 3nm (N3) deliverables assume the die shrink to apply to the iPhone chip a year later.

Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
headlessmike Avatar
41 months ago

Serious question. What happens when they get to 1nm? What’s the next step? .5, or some completely new technology all together?
0.2 nm, also known as 2 Å (for Ångström), is about as small as you can theoretically make anything with a semi-conductor material like silicon since that's the approximate distance between two atoms in the crystal. If we ever get anywhere near that with our current approach is debatable. Quantum effects become increasingly tricky to deal with as sizes shrink down to the level of atoms. More likely we'll have to hope for a major breakthrough somewhere else than shrinking transistors to keep advancing computing power at some point in the not too distant future.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IIGS User Avatar
41 months ago
Upon its creation, iOS 20 began to learn at a geometric rate. The software originally went online in June of 2025. Human decisions were removed from memoji choices. iOS then became self-aware at 10:AM Pacific time on the second Monday of September, 2025

Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phill85 Avatar
41 months ago
Hot take: 2028 at the earliest
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
2 hours ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
7 hours ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
7 hours ago
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
8 hours ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
8 hours ago
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
8 hours ago
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
10 hours ago
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
10 hours ago
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
11 hours ago
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New MacBooks, iPad Mini, and iMac
Where to Pre-Order Apple's New MacBooks, iPad Mini, and iMac
13 hours ago
Apple Releasing HomePod Mini 2 Tomorrow With These New Features
Apple Releasing HomePod Mini 2 Tomorrow With These New Features
14 hours ago
How macOS Adapts Its Controls for Touch on the New MacBook Pro
How macOS Adapts Its Controls for Touch on the New MacBook Pro
15 hours ago
Just Got an iPhone Duo? Try These Features First
Just Got an iPhone Duo? Try These Features First
16 hours ago
Apple Announced Scott Forstall's Departure 14 Years Ago Today
Apple Announced Scott Forstall's Departure 14 Years Ago Today
17 hours ago
Best Buy Opens Pre-Orders for PROLED XDR MacBook Pro With $100 Bonus Gift Cards
Best Buy Opens Pre-Orders for PROLED XDR MacBook Pro With $100 Bonus Gift Cards
1 day ago
Here's Everything Apple Announced This Week
Here's Everything Apple Announced This Week
1 day ago
Here's a Real-World Look at the New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
Here's a Real-World Look at the New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
How Accurate Were Rumors About Apple's OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro?
How Accurate Were Rumors About Apple's OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro?
1 day ago
Apple Has 8 New Products Available for Pre-Order
Apple Has 8 New Products Available for Pre-Order
1 day ago
iPhone Duo: Turn the Hinge Into an App Launcher
iPhone Duo: Turn the Hinge Into an App Launcher
1 day ago
OLED MacBook Pro vs. Mini-LED MacBook Pro: Size and Weight Compared
OLED MacBook Pro vs. Mini-LED MacBook Pro: Size and Weight Compared
1 day ago
Best Buy Offering Up to $100 Gift Cards With iPad Mini 8 and M6 MacBook Pro Pre-Orders
Best Buy Offering Up to $100 Gift Cards With iPad Mini 8 and M6 MacBook Pro Pre-Orders
1 day ago
Adding Touch Didn't Cost the MacBook Pro Any Battery Life
Adding Touch Didn't Cost the MacBook Pro Any Battery Life
1 day ago
Apple Releases Redesigned Mac Chargers and 'World Travel Adapter Kit'
Apple Releases Redesigned Mac Chargers and 'World Travel Adapter Kit'
1 day ago
Apple Executives Explain Why the MacBook Pro Finally Has a Touch Screen
Apple Executives Explain Why the MacBook Pro Finally Has a Touch Screen
1 day ago
New MacBook Pro Features Deeper Bass and Improved Closed-Lid Audio
New MacBook Pro Features Deeper Bass and Improved Closed-Lid Audio
1 day ago
New MacBook Pro Offers Up to 16TB of Storage, Double Previous Limit
New MacBook Pro Offers Up to 16TB of Storage, Double Previous Limit
1 day ago
Apple's New Touchscreen MacBook Pro Costs Up to $14,549
Apple's New Touchscreen MacBook Pro Costs Up to $14,549
1 day ago
Apple Brings Dynamic Island to Mac for the First Time
Apple Brings Dynamic Island to Mac for the First Time
1 day ago
Mac Studio With M5 Ultra Now Available With 512GB RAM for $22,299
Mac Studio With M5 Ultra Now Available With 512GB RAM for $22,299
1 day ago