The launch of the iPhone 17 family next year with Apple's A19 and A19 Pro on the industry's first 2nm process would give the company a generational advantage like no other, but even the company knows that it needs to stick within the boundaries of reality. For instance, TSMC was recently reported to have obtained a 60 percent yield for the trial production of its 2nm technology, and while that is commendable, the figure needs to be higher for lucrative customers to justify placing orders.

Statistically, mass producing wafers during the trial phase means that the output would be far too low, and even if TSMC successfully raises that production count next year, the astronomical costs of producing each wafer would not make it feasible for Apple to leverage the technology for its A19 and A19 Pro. However, a report states that by 2026, the wafer production count could increase to eight times the current value, making it a desired volume for Apple and other clients to place orders with TSMC.

Previously, famous analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned that Apple would skip the 2nm technology for the iPhone 17 series and wait for the iPhone 18 launch to introduce the new silicon. Kuo stated that even then, not all iPhone 18 models would be treated to the 2nm A20 due to the high costs involved. While the exact price was not mentioned, industry reports claim that each 2nm wafer will cost a whopping $30,000, meaning that TSMC's monthly output needs to reach peak level so it can potentially reduce the price using economics of scale.

As reported by MyDrivers, a Morgan Stanley report states that increasing monthly wafer production will not be possible at this time because TSMC's 2nm trial production only churns out 10,000 units. By next year, that figure is expected to reach 50,000 units, and by 2026, TSMC could pump out an impressive 80,000 units, making it sufficient for Apple and others to place orders. The Taiwanese foundry giant is also said to be exploring methods to reduce costs further, starting with something called the 'CyberShuttle' service, which will debut in April next year.

This approach, also known as wafer-sharing, will let companies like Apple evaluate their silicon on the same test wafer, leading to increased savings. The Cupertino giant has other plans for 2026 when it unveils the A20 and A20 Pro, as both chipsets are said to feature a new WMCM, Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module packaging, optimizing size reduction while improving performance. As for who gets TSMC's initial 2nm shipments, Apple will likely be first in line.