Apple Seemingly Avoiding Latest Chip Tech for New iPhones and Macs

Apple is expected to usage TSMC's basal 2-nanometer N2 process alternatively than the newer N2P variant for its upcoming A20 and M6 chips, according to the China Times.


Apple is rumored to motorboat the A20 spot with caller iPhone models successful the fall, and the M6 household of Apple silicon chips successful redesigned MacBook Pro models featuring OLED displays aboriginal this year. The latest study claims that the institution volition not determination to TSMC's astir precocious 2-nanometer manufacturing variant for these spot generations.

TSMC's 2-nanometer household marks the company's modulation from FinFET transistors to gate-all-around technology, which is intended to amended powerfulness ratio and show scaling arsenic spot densities increase. TSMC antecedently said that its basal N2 process volition participate wide accumulation successful 2026, followed by enhanced variants including N2P and A16 successful the 2nd fractional of the year.

N2P is positioned arsenic a higher-performance mentation of N2, portion A16 is designed for high-power and high-complexity chips, peculiarly for AI applications and information centers. The show quality betwixt N2 and N2P is expected to beryllium modest. N2P offers astir a 5% show summation astatine the aforesaid powerfulness level, but comes astatine a higher manufacturing cost, which helps explicate wherefore Apple is expected to stay connected N2 for its A- and M-series chips this year.

Competitors including Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to follow N2P for their flagship mobile chips successful bid to scope higher highest timepiece speeds. TSMC seemingly expects the 2-nanometer procreation to person a agelong lifecycle and perchance standard beyond its 3-nanometer family. Companies including AMD, Google, and Amazon are expected to follow 2-nanometer processes for aboriginal CPUs, GPUs, and AI chips.

Supply availability is besides thought to beryllium a factor. Demand for 2-nanometer manufacturing has seemingly exceeded expectations, with overmuch of the archetypal N2 capableness already reserved by starring customers specified arsenic Apple. This aboriginal capableness allocation reduces the request for Apple to determination to N2P simply to unafraid accumulation measurement for aboriginal A-series and M-series chips.

Crucially, since N2P lone begins wide accumulation successful the 2nd fractional of the year, it apt does not permission capable clip for Apple to present chips made with the newer exertion to its devices. N2 chips are already successful production.
This article, "Apple Seemingly Avoiding Latest Chip Tech for New iPhones and Macs" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com