Apple Looking to Save Space in Future iPhones With Thinner Circuit Boards

Apple will begin using a new material to make its printed circuit boards thinner starting next year, according to a source with a good track record.

Apple Silicon Teal Feature
Apple will reportedly switch to using resin coated copper (RCC) foil as a new printed circuit board (PCB) material in 2024. The change will apparently allow Apple to make its PCBs even thinner. Current iPhone PCBs are made from a flexible copper substrate material. A thinner PCB could free up valuable space inside compact devices like the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch to provide more room for larger batteries or other components.

The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to grow in size from 6.1- and 6.7-inches to 6.3- and 6.9-inches, respectively. The increase in size is believed to be partly due to a need for more internal space for additional components such as a tetraprism telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and a capacitive "Capture" button.

The information comes from an integrated circuit expert on Weibo, who was first to report that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 would retain the A15 Bionic chip, with the A16 being exclusive to the ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ Pro models. Most recently, the user said that the A17 chip designed for the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌‌iPhone 16‌‌ Plus will be made using a fundamentally different manufacturing process to the A17 Pro in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro to cut costs.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...

Top Rated Comments

a_politis Avatar
29 months ago
For those who want new iPad mini, I suggest to wait a few more years. The next generations iPhone pro max is just 1-2 inches away.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Love-hate ? relationship Avatar
29 months ago
well hopefully it'll allow them to make their anemic batteries grow a bit
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DominikHoffmann Avatar
29 months ago
I don’t want a larger phone than my iPhone 15 Pro.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tyr2 Avatar
29 months ago
If the regular Pro grows to 6.3 inches, that clearly leaves plenty of space for a Pro Mini to fit into the lineup!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aluminum213 Avatar
29 months ago
I hope they increase the price also ???
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
29 months ago
Hoping this also means they can make smaller pro phones with full features.

I get the camera modules are in shorter supply, however we took a huge step back by splitting camera specifications on pro phones and only having it in the Max.

One HUGE reason I buy pro models on the iOS side is because ( unlike Android phones ) I could ( in the past ) get the best cameras in the smaller devices too.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)