According to industry sources cited in a new report today from DigiTimes, Apple has reserved the initial production capacity of 4nm chips with long-time supplier TSMC for its next-generation Apple silicon.
“According to the reports, Apple has already reserved the initial capability of TSMC’s N4 for its new-generation Mac series. According to the sources, Apple has also hired TSMC to produce its A15 next-generation iPhone processor, which will be installed on the foundry’s N5 Plus or N5P process node.
According to the reports, TSMC is expected to begin the development of Apple’s A15 chip, which will power the upcoming iPhone 13 series, by the end of May.“
The M1 chip, Apple’s most recent silicon, is the first of its kind in the industry, built on a 5nm process. The 5nm process is also used in the A14 Bionic chip used in the iPad Air and iPhone 12. Apple is already considering the 4nm chip process for its next-generation Apple silicon, according to the article.
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There’s no word on when these latest 4nm chips will be out, but according to DigiTimes, TSMC will begin volume production of the new process in Q4 of 2021, well ahead of the previously announced 2022 deadline. Furthermore, Apple intends to use an improved variant of the 5nm process for the A15 chip in the iPhone 13, with development beginning by the end of May.
The smaller process decreases the actual footprint of the chips while also improving quality and performance. Apple is expected to release a slew of new Macs this year, all of which will feature more powerful Apple silicon chips, but none of them will be built on the 4nm process.
