SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 17, 2026, 00:02 PST
- Analyst Jeff Pu has outlined expected specs for a foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro models slated for 2026, reports said.
- The A20 Pro chip is tipped to move to a 2-nanometer process and new packaging that could change how memory sits with the processor.
- Some reports also point to a display redesign for the iPhone 18 Pro, though details vary.
Analyst Jeff Pu has laid out expected specifications for Apple’s 2026 iPhone 18 Pro models and a foldable iPhone, including a new A20 Pro chip and a switch to Touch ID fingerprint unlock for the foldable device, AppleInsider reported. (AppleInsider)
The talk matters because Apple has yet to ship a foldable phone, leaving that slice of the premium market to Samsung Electronics and other Android makers. A foldable iPhone would be a new test of demand at the high end, where prices have been climbing even as buyers hang on to devices longer.
The chip angle is also hard to ignore. If Apple moves to a new manufacturing node and denser packaging, it could be chasing more headroom for AI features that run locally on the handset, rather than leaning on remote servers.
Pu forecast global smartphone shipments would slip 4% in 2026, “primarily due to memory costs impact amid tepid end-market, especially for Android low-to-mid end sales,” but pegged iPhone shipments at 250 million units, up 2%, lifting Apple’s market share to 21%, 9to5Mac reported. His spec table listed a foldable iPhone with a 7.8-inch internal screen, a 5.3-inch outer display and Touch ID, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max would have 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays and a smaller Dynamic Island cutout — the pill-shaped area Apple uses for camera and sensor alerts. (9to5Mac)
Wccftech said Pu’s note pointed to two changes inside the A20 Pro: a shift to wafer-level multi-chip module (WMCM) packaging — combining multiple chips in one package — and new “super-high-performance metal-insulator-metal” capacitors in the power system. The site said the capacitors could more than double capacitance density and cut some resistances by about 50%, changes that can help stabilize power delivery and improve efficiency. (Wccftech)
Gadget Hacks, in a separate write-up, said the iPhone 18 Pro models could scrap the Dynamic Island entirely in favor of under-display Face ID, a bigger redesign than Pu’s table suggests. It also flagged variable aperture on the main camera — a lens opening that can widen or narrow to control light — as a key camera upgrade. (Gadget Hacks)
On the competitive side, a foldable iPhone would land in a category still defined by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line and newer Chinese rivals, with hardware durability and visible screen creases still common complaints. Apple’s reported choice of Touch ID on the foldable hints at the engineering trade-offs of fitting Face ID components into a folding design.
Some of the terms in the reports are wonky but the idea is simple. “N2” refers to TSMC’s 2-nanometer process — smaller transistors, more packed into the chip. WMCM is a way to cram more pieces into a tighter module, while a “periscope” camera uses folded optics to extend zoom without making the phone thicker.
But none of this is confirmed. Apple has not announced a foldable iPhone or the iPhone 18 lineup, and plans can shift as suppliers hit yield problems, costs move, or a new design proves harder to manufacture at scale. A jump to 2-nanometer production and new packaging could also tighten supply early and push prices higher, especially if memory costs keep rising.
For now, it is still a pile of spec tables and supply-chain talk. If Apple sticks to its usual rhythm, it will be months before it says what it is actually shipping.
