A rare motherboard leak hints that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro might feature a redesigned A20 Pro chip package improving heat dissipation through a new arrangement of memory, potentially boosting sustained performance and on-device AI capabilities.
- New WMCM packaging may enhance A20 Pro thermal dissipation
- Upgraded LPDDR5X memory and larger Neural Engine expected
- Leaked info remains unconfirmed and cautious skepticism is advised
What happened
A detailed leak of the iPhone 18 Pro’s alleged motherboard surfaced, revealing a redesigned layout for Apple’s new A20 Pro chip. The leak, attributed to leaker Reptalicant, shows the DRAM repositioned to the side of the chip using wafer-level multi-chip module (WMCM) packaging. This contrasts with previous chip designs where the memory was integrated differently, potentially hampering thermal efficiency.
In addition to the packaging update, the leak claims the A20 Pro will keep a similar die size to the current A19 Pro but will utilize faster LPDDR5X 96-bit memory. The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) also appears to be larger, indicating a push toward improved on-device AI performance. The leak is notable given the rarity of motherboard-level Apple hardware disclosures before product launches.
Why it matters
Thermal management is critical for mobile devices to sustain high performance without overheating or throttling. By moving the DRAM out of the main die layout, Apple could allow better heat dissipation and longer peak performance under demanding workloads, which is especially important as mobile chips grow more powerful.
The reported boost in Neural Engine capabilities alongside memory improvements suggests Apple is enhancing AI processing at the hardware level, supporting more complex or efficient on-device AI features. If these changes are accurate, they would signal a continued emphasis on energy-efficient performance gains without necessarily increasing chip size.
What to watch next
Apple has not yet confirmed any details about the iPhone 18 Pro or its A20 Pro chip, so these leak-based insights remain speculative. Industry observers will be looking for corroboration from other supply chain sources or additional leaks that can verify this WMCM packaging approach and other upgrade claims.
As Apple typically keeps design details tightly under wraps, any official announcements or teardowns after launch will be key to validating whether this new cooling-focused chip packaging has been implemented and how it affects real-world device performance and thermal behavior.