Trial Production of TSMC’s Next-Gen 2nm Chips for Apple Silicon Set to Begin Next Week

A report from ET News details that TSMC - Apple's primary chip manufacturer - will begin trial production of 2nm chips as early as next week. The latest news comes…

By Ishika Setia

July 10, 2024

3 min read

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A report from ET News details that TSMC – Apple’s primary chip manufacturer – will begin trial production of 2nm chips as early as next week. The latest news comes months ahead of the technology’s rumored inclusion in Apple silicon by 2025.

More About TSMC’s 2nm Chips

TSMC has apparently lined up trial production to start at its northern Taiwan Baoshan plant. The 2nm plant is the first to be installed with an entirely new kit, marking a significant step forward in TSMC’s technological capabilities even before it has entered full production. However, Apple is widely reported to transition its custom silicon presently the A17 Pro chip found in products like the iPhone 15 Pro to a so-called 2nm process node possibly as soon as the year following.

The iPhone 15 Pro is powered by the A17 Pro chip itself, which uses a TSMC 3nm process. It enables more transistors per square millimeter leading to substantial both performance and energy efficiency benefits. This 3nm-based chip has never been used before, but Apple’s latest creation the M4 was introduced in its newly launched iPad Pro models. Even greater improvements are expected with the switch to 2nm chips, which should deliver between a 10 and 15 percent performance boost and bring down power consumption by as much as 30 percent versus current 3nm generation technology.

As far as its strategy goes, TSMC aims to hit mass production of 2nm chips sometime next year. These ongoing initiatives have been ramped up in order to secure reliable yields well before any high-volume manufacturing. A triple of the capacity by year-end would be needed simply to fulfill a 3nm expansion, as TSMC has secured all existing production capability at that scale for Apple after Samsung fell behind.

While 2nm chips are expected from companies like Apple as early as the iPhone 17, it is also in line with what most of its competition has been working onident match his competition when developing semiconductor technology for high-performance and performance-efficient devices. This move underscores Apple’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in mobile computing, leveraging TSMC’s technological prowess to deliver significant improvements in future generations of its products.

FAQs

What is TSMC’s timeline for mass production of 2nm chips?

TSMC plans to start mass production of 2nm chips next year. This move aims to ensure stable yield before incorporating the technology into devices like Apple’s future silicon.

What benefits do 2nm chips offer over 3nm technology?

Compared to TSMC’s current 3nm process, 2nm chips are expected to deliver approximately 10 to 15 percent higher performance and up to 30 percent lower power consumption. These improvements are crucial for enhancing device efficiency and capabilities.