Apple's M6 Reveals What to Expect from the iPhone 18 Pro's A20 Pro Chipset

With the M6 now official, Apple has given us an early look at the silicon technology that could shape its next generation of iPhones. While the M6 and A20 Pro will be built for very different devices, the move to a new 2nm process and other improvements offer useful clues about what Apple could bring to the iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Ultra.

Apple A20 Pro Will Carry the 2nm Advantage

Unlike Apple's previous M-series processors, which were based on 3nm processes, the M6 is based on 2nm, and the same could carry over to the A20 Pro. The new manufacturing node is expected to deliver a generational leap in overall power management and computational speed.

Apple M6 and M5 Ultra chipset illustrations — Image Credit: Apple

While smartphone silicon uses tailored core layouts compared to desktop-grade variants, the foundational architectural improvements could remain pretty much identical to those of the processor expected to power the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. There was a similar parity between the A19 Pro processor and the M5.

This includes delivering snappier responsiveness across everyday app navigation and heavy workflows. Besides, the processor could also boast sustained peak performance during intensive tasks like gaming, video rendering and multitasking without draining battery life.

Apple A20 Pro die illustration — Image Credit: Google Gemini

Apple, in its newsroom post, says that M6 introduces a dual 16-core Neural Engine for up to twice the peak AI compute over its predecessors. Besides, it boasts a "new" 12-core CPU in a 2+4+6 architecture that delivers up to 1.2x faster multithreaded performance compared to M5.

Besides being based on the advanced 2nm manufacturing process, the Apple A20 Pro is expected to use WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) technology. This should help Apple pack more horsepower and prevent overheating. Speaking of which, the A20 Pro may also boast HPB (Heat Path Block) technology to keep things cool.

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Ultra, two AirPods 5s and Apple Watch Series 12 at its upcoming September 2026 launch event.

With Qualcomm and MediaTek also set to announce their 2nm chipsets, it should be interesting to see which comes out on top as the ultimate processor supremo.