This technological advance on chips could dramatically improve the performance of Apple’s devices.
Apple is preparing to be a pioneer in the technology world again. The company will reportedly launch devices equipped with 2nm chips from TSMC starting in 2025. This will make Apple the first phone manufacturer to use this technology.
In 2020, Apple’s A14 Bionic chip and Huawei’s Kirin 9000 SoC were the first chips manufactured using TSMC’s 5nm process. Last year, TSMC produced a 3nm chip used in only one smartphone: The A17 Pro, currently used in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. As process nodes get smaller, the transistors used in a chip also get smaller, so more can fit inside the component. The more transistors a chip has, the more powerful and/or energy efficient it is.
TSMC’s move from 3nm to 2nm will use Gate-all-around (GAA) transistors. These use vertically stacked horizontal nanosheets that allow the gate to wrap the channel on all four sides. This reduces current leaks and increases drive current. Samsung Foundry is already using GAA transistors in its 3nm chips, but TSMC will not use them until 2nm production starts. For the transition to 2nm, TSMC is building two new factories and is seeking approval for a third. The construction of factories for 2nm production will cost TSMC billions of dollars.
This technological advance could significantly improve the performance of Apple’s devices. 2nm chips will make Apple products more competitive by enabling faster processor speeds, improved graphics processing capabilities and higher energy efficiency. In addition, Apple is also reportedly working to reserve production capacity for the 1.4nm process node, which is expected to begin in 2027. These developments will significantly impact the performance and user experience of smartphones and other Apple devices.
