TSMC may build A15 chips for 2021 iPhones, Macs using its next-gen 5nm+ and 4nm process
Apple is reportedly planning to manufacture next year’s iPhone, iPad and Mac chips on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) next-generation 5nm+ and 4nm process technologies. By comparison, the current A14 chips in the latest iPhones and the M1 chips in the new MacBook Air, Mac mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro are being fabbed on TSMC’s five-nanometer process.
According to a new report today by Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, TSMC’s 5nm+ process technology (also know as N5P) is a “performance-enhanced version” of its current 5nm process. Chips built on that technology will yield additional power savings and performance improvements.
As for TSMC’s 4nm process (even smaller transistors resulting in speed increases and lower power consumption), it should be utilized to manufacture Apple’s tentatively named “A16” chip that will power iPhones coming in 2022. Assuming the report is correct, Apple fans should expect products that perform even faster and have longer battery life. This is going to be key for Apple’s desktop chips, as the inaugural M1 chip has shocked the industry with its speed gains and power efficiency.
Apple is working on three Mac chips, Bloomberg reported, with the M1 chip already released in the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini. Other Mac computers, including a new version of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, a redesigned all-in-one iMac desktop and a souped-up Mac Pro workstation, are expected to utilize enhanced Apple chips that have yet to be officially announced.
The Cupertino technology giant remains the sole client utilizing TSMC’s 5nm process, which is the most sophisticated node at the moment.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2020/11/19/apple-a15-tsmc-4nm-process/
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