Apple attempted to transform the Mac lineup of devices with its own M1 chipset, the Apple Silicon that was launched last year. In addition to laptops, the company used these chips even for its smartphones. As of now, the Apple chipset-powered devices are manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, aka TSMC, using the 5nm process. It looks like the process will be upgraded in the next year.
Apple To Use 3nm Chip
As per a fresh report by DigiTimes via MacRumors, the iPhones and Mac devices that are all set to be launched in 2022 are likely to use an upgraded chipset based on the 3nm process. TSMC is already gearing up to start the mass production of the 3nm chips sometime in the second half of 2022. Eventually, the chipset in question will be used to power the iPhones and Mac devices that are lined up for 2022.
Previously, it was reported that Apple had booked the entire production capacity of TSMC for the 4nm chipset by Apple Silicon that is meant for the MacBooks. However, no word regarding the arrival of the chip made its way to the internet.
3nm Chip Improvements
As compared to the existing 5nm process, the new chip based on the 3nm process is touted to reduce the power consumption by 30 per cent and deliver improved performance of 15 per cent. Being the largest contract manufacturer of chips in the world, TSMC will begin the production of the new and upgraded 3nm chips with 30,000 wafers capacity. The company is estimated to expand this production capacity to 55,000 units next year. Also, within a year after that, it eyes to expand the production capacity to 105,000 units per month.
Notably, the existing Apple A14 Bionic chipset is based on the 5nm manufacturing process. The next-generation chip, the A15 SoC, will be using the 5nm process + NP5 process. It will be a performance-enhanced process of the existing one and will bring in power efficiency as well. As per reports, TSMC has allotted most of its resources to meet the order of Apple in 2022.
