Apple's next-generation A20 Pro chip will pack a larger neural processing unit (NPU) into the same physical size as the current A19 Pro, according to leaked iPhone 18 Pro logic board images. This engineering feat reflects Apple's continued focus on bringing more sophisticated artificial intelligence capabilities directly to iPhones without relying on cloud servers.

What's Changing Inside Apple's Next iPhone Chip?

The leaked logic board reveals that Apple is transitioning the A20 Pro to a new packaging technology called WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module), moving away from the older PoP (Package-on-Package) approach used in the A19 Pro. This shift enables a more efficient internal layout that improves how heat moves away from the processor, a critical concern for sustained performance.

The most significant change involves the neural engine itself. Apple has deliberately enlarged this AI-focused component while keeping the overall chip dimensions identical to the A19 Pro. This is possible because the new packaging allows the RAM (random access memory) to sit alongside the chip rather than stacked on top of it, freeing up valuable space for the neural processing unit to expand.

Why Does a Bigger NPU Matter for Your Phone?

The enlarged neural engine is designed to handle the full suite of Siri AI features that Apple plans to introduce on the iPhone 18 Pro. On-device AI processing means your phone can perform complex tasks like voice recognition, image analysis, and language understanding without sending your data to Apple's servers. This approach protects privacy while enabling faster responses since the processing happens locally on your device.

Apple's engineering approach demonstrates how the company balances competing demands in smartphone design. By maintaining the A20 Pro's physical size despite the larger NPU, Apple avoids the need to redesign the iPhone 18 Pro's internal layout or increase manufacturing complexity. This constraint-driven design also helps control production costs, which are already substantial given that TSMC manufactures these chips using its cutting-edge 2-nanometer process.

How Apple Optimized the A20 Pro's Design

• Thermal Management: The new WMCM packaging moves DRAM to the side of the chipset instead of stacking it on top, significantly improving heat dissipation and reducing thermal throttling during sustained workloads
• Memory Configuration: The A20 Pro is expected to support LPDDR6 RAM with a 96-bit bus width, though Apple has historically moved slowly in adopting new memory standards
• Die Efficiency: Apple maintained the same die size as the A19 Pro while expanding the neural engine, demonstrating the company's chip design expertise in maximizing performance within fixed physical constraints

The thermal improvements address a real problem that emerged with the A19 Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, despite being equipped with a vapor chamber designed to dissipate heat, frequently hits thermal limits during intensive tasks. Beyond a certain power threshold, the processor throttles its performance to prevent overheating. The new packaging architecture in the A20 Pro should alleviate this issue by allowing heat to distribute more evenly away from the densely packed components.

Apple's approach to the A20 Pro reflects a broader industry trend where neural processing units are becoming increasingly important to smartphone performance. Rather than simply making chips larger or more power-hungry, Apple is investing in clever architectural improvements that deliver more AI capability within the same physical and thermal budget.

The A20 Pro is expected to be officially announced later in 2026, at which point Apple will reveal the full specifications and performance details of the new neural engine. Until then, these leaked logic board images provide the clearest look yet at how Apple is preparing to bring more advanced on-device AI to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.