An alleged solder joint diagram for Apple's A20 Pro chip suggests the processor will deliver a number of significant upgrades, including a seven-core GPU, a wider memory interface, and a larger L2 cache for its efficiency cores. The claims come from a Weibo user who says the layout was reconstructed by mapping the chip's solder ball positions and overlaying them with die level images to sketch out where each block of the processor sits. According to the post, the resulting outline points to a two and four core CPU configuration and a seven core GPU, with the top of the die housing the GPU and the CPU occupying the center. Based on the layout, the leaker expects the A20 Pro's efficiency cores to share an 8MB L2 cache, up from 6MB on the A19 Pro, while the performance cores retain their existing 16MB L2 cache. The size of the shared system level cache is not yet known, but the leaker believes it is unlikely to shrink given the chip's new image signal processor and neural engine. With regards to the GPU, the seven core configuration would mark an increase from the six cores on the A19 Pro, a jump of roughly 16%. The leak also points to a 96-bit memory interface for LPDDR5x RAM, up from the 64-bit interface on the A19 Pro, a 50% increase that would meaningfully boost memory bandwidth. Graphics performance tends to scale with memory bandwidth, so the wider bus could have an additional impact on top of the additional GPU core. The A20 Pro is highly likely to debut the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max next week. It could also be used in Apple's first foldable iPhone. Related Roundups: iPhone 18 Pro , iPhone Fold This article, " iPhone 18 Pro Chip Leak Indicates Major GPU and Memory Bandwidth Improvements " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Less than a week before Apple debuts new iPhone 18 Pro models, research firm TrendForce has estimated the prices of the devices based on the latest hardware cost environment. TrendForce's price estimates compared to last year's models look like this: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 17 Pro $1,099 iPhone 18 Pro $1,249-$1,299 +$150 to +$200 iPhone 17 Pro Max $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro Max $1,349-$1,399 +$150 to +$200 Apple is likely to raise iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max prices by around 10-20% compared to last year's Pro models, according to the firm. Taking TrendForce's June forecast of a 14-18% increase, which fits within its latest broader 10-20% range and translates more neatly to Apple's typical pricing scheme, we could see the iPhone 18 Pro starting price jump to between $1,249-$1,299 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max between $1,349-$1,399. Meanwhile, TrendForce expects prices for Apple's first foldable iPhone (aka "iPhone Ultra") to start anywhere between $2,099-$2,299, with the highest storage option potentially exceeding $3,000. The regular iPhone 18 model is not expected to debut until spring 2027. Nevertheless, TrendForce expects the same general 10-20% price increase to apply to that device as well. The overriding reason for the price increases is memory costs. TrendForce says the cost of a 256GB memory chip has risen nearly 400% year-on-year, while its separate analysis puts the overall bill of materials (BOM) for a 256GB Pro model at around 38% more over the same period. That said, Apple is expected to absorb some of that increase via lower margins, rather than passing the full cost onto consumers. Last year, Apple managed to avoid raising the price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and only marginally raised the iPhone 17 Pro price in the U.S. year-on-year by $100. This year, however, the insatiable AI infrastructure buildout has made memory costs even more expensive, effectively holding the rest of the electronics industry to ransom. And things don't look like they're going to get any better anytime soon. We will find out the real prices during Apple's "Surprise and shine" event on Wednesday, September 9. Related Roundups: iPhone 18 Pro , iPhone Fold Tags: Apple Event , TrendForce This article, " iPhone 18 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
