Danny Weber
Apple may drop advanced WMCM packaging from the standard A20 chip for iPhone 18 due to DRAM shortage and rising costs. The A20 Pro will retain WMCM, but the base model may miss out on RAM upgrade.
New reports suggest Apple could drop the advanced WMCM packaging technology from the standard A20 chip that will power the iPhone 18. The culprit: a persistent DRAM shortage and rising prices.
Apple was previously expected to move from TSMC’s InFO packaging to the newer WMCM (Wafer-level Multi-Chip Module). WMCM combines the CPU, GPU, and neural engine into a single package, offering flexible configurations and better energy efficiency. It also lets the company position DRAM right next to the main chip, cutting latency and improving performance—especially for AI workloads.
But the memory market’s current state is forcing Apple to rethink its plans. Soaring DRAM costs make complex packaging less attractive for volume models. So the standard A20 will probably stick with a conventional approach. WMCM might then become an exclusive feature for the higher-end A20 Pro, which is said to power the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Even so, those models are also expected to keep 12GB of RAM—no bump there.
This move suggests the standard iPhone 18 might miss out on a rumored RAM upgrade. Industry estimates put the cost of a single 12GB LPDDR5 module at roughly $180 by 2027—too pricey for a base model.
It all highlights that even Apple has to adapt to shifting component markets, balancing innovation against cost.
© A. Krivonosov