iPhone 18 to debut C2 mmWave modem and 2-nm A20 chip in 2026

While customers are still waiting for the iPhone 17 to reach store shelves, the industry is already surfacing early details about the upcoming iPhone 18 lineup. According to Commercial Times, Apple is planning a major technological push: in 2026, the phones are set to debut a new C2 modem and an A20 chip built on an advanced 2-nanometer process. That marks a step beyond the current C1X modem, which just launched alongside the iPhone Air and has already shown a twofold speed increase over the previous version.

The key difference

The standout change in the C2 modem is long-awaited mmWave support, expected to raise the bar for mobile connectivity in Apple devices. Leaks suggest this modem will power the top iPhone 18 models—the standard and Pro versions—as well as the much-discussed foldable iPhone that could end up as 2026’s biggest surprise.

In parallel, Apple is preparing an M6 processor for Mac and an R2 chip for the Vision Pro headset—both also slated for 2-nm production. The direction is hard to miss: push for maximum power efficiency without sacrificing performance. This shift should bring not only faster operation but also longer time between charges, a priority many users quietly value more than another round of eye-catching extras.

All told, the iPhone 18 looks less like a routine refresh and more like a genuine technological leap—especially if Apple does move ahead with a foldable phone.