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Apple's Next-Gen Chip Technology on Track for 2025 Debut

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Apple chip supplier TSMC is on track to deliver 2nm chip technology next year, BusinessKorea reports.

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Apple is expected to move its custom silicon to the 2nm process next year to leverage TSMC's advancements. TSMC is said to be confidently progressing with the 2nm node. The chipmaker's Vice President of Process Development, Zhang Xiaogang, announced that "the development of the 2nm process is progressing smoothly" and mass production is on track for 2025.

Some rumors suggested that TSMC may be forced to delay full-scale mass production of its 2nm process until 2026 due to technical challenges associated with the first-time application of Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology. These rumors were dispelled by Zhang, who confirmed that "the yield when applying GAA has reached 90 percent of the target," indicating substantial progress. Jeff Williams, Apple's Chief Operating Officer, recently made a discreet visit to Taiwan to meet with TSMC President Wei Zhejia and secure supply of 2nm chips.

The iPhone 15 Pro is powered by the A17 Pro chip, which is manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process. This process allows for more transistors to be packed into a smaller space, delivering improvements in performance and efficiency. Apple's M4 chip, which just debuted in the new iPad Pro, uses an enhanced version of this ‌‌3nm‌‌ technology. The transition to 2nm chips should bring further improvements, with projected performance gains of 10 to 15 percent and power consumption reductions of up to 30 percent compared to the ‌‌3nm‌‌ process.

TSMC remains the only company capable of manufacturing 2nm and ‌3nm‌ chips at the scale and quality Apple requires. For its ‌‌3nm‌‌ chips, Apple booked all of TSMC's available chipmaking capacity, and the chipmaker plans to triple its production capacity for the node by the end of the year to meet soaring demand. 2nm chips could first appear in 2025's iPhone 17 lineup.

Tags: Apple Silicon Guide, TSMC

Top Rated Comments

Saturn007 Avatar
Saturn007
24 months ago

TSMC remains the only company capable of manufacturing 2nm and 3nm chips at the scale and quality Apple requires. For its ‌3nm‌ chips, Apple booked all of TSMC's available chipmaking capacity
Anti-trust division of DOJ or EU trade board to get involved soon…


I am just here to see the old folks go crazy 🙈 🔥 about how they hope they can disable the neural engine for AI. LOL!
Let's fix that, shall we?!

”I am just here to see the *smart* folks wisely figure out how they can disable the neural engine for AI.”

Some of us prefer not emulate ostriches! 😁
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jb310 Avatar
jb310
24 months ago
2nm chips? Scrolling through social media is going to be extremely snappy in 2025. 👀
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
asiga
24 months ago
If "debut" means that it will be available to buy in Macs before the end of 2025, then I'd find it very weird that no new M4 Macs are released this summer.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
HobeSoundDarryl
24 months ago

It looks like we are going back to one year cycle for the higher volume devices and two year cycle for lower volume (ex. desktop computers). The M4 will be the start of this. It is interesting that the iPad led the way with the M4 but that could be due to the chip volume that was available this summer.

So we are looking at M4 for Macbook Pro this fall followed by Macbook Air and Mini next spring. Then the Studio and Mac Pro at WWDC next summer (much to the chagrin of those looking for these). The Ultras systems will always have a 1 year delay due to the more complex chip design. Then rinse and repeat next fall for the M5, with the Desktops skipping the M5.
The only real “pattern” we’ve seen so far in Mac silicon is no pattern. I wouldn’t bet on the timing of anything.

For example, based on Apples love of “another record quarter…” above seemingly all else, I buy the guess that M4 Ultra will hit next… and sooner than Fall. Those Macs may not sell on volume but they have highest profit per unit sold, yet only really appeal on the apparent schedule for up to about 5 months, when Mnext MAX hits. But we’ll see.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
MayaUser
24 months ago
and some users thought TSMC will be stuck for 5 years on 5nm
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
HobeSoundDarryl
24 months ago
I can agree with that. I too don't mind paying more for something I prefer. However, unchecked as it is where there is ZERO competition for things like RAM & SSD and the very same statement could support RAM & SSD moving from 3X-5X market to 5X-8X market... and then 10X market. Why not? If we want Mac, just charge any price. Increase it any amount. We'll find a way to justify it and pay, pay, pay.

Not long ago, we had the very same great macOS, Mac-only apps, etc with some-to-much flexibility depending on Mac to upgrade the guts as needed and with highly competitive-driven pricing and even the ability to run anything Windows too. Now we have ONE choice for everything and that store operates like it knows it. If we want Mac, pay up! And perhaps we will pay even more if we want Mac? And then perhaps we will pay even more than that if we want Mac? And so on. And then we'll get on public forums and rationalize paying more and more and more to others... like its our job to sell tech.

Not many years ago, I was an Apple everything guy. Now I own a Mac and a PC on a desktop and am seriously considering my first ever PC laptop... not because I prefer PC but because I don't want to just pay any price "for something I prefer." I'd rather NOT go even more PC but I don't value the "preferred" enough to pay a LOT more for it anymore.

That said, I appreciate my newer Silicon Mac more than my aging Intel Mac too... but not at any price. And if there was a 2024 Intel Mac option, I'd likely appreciate it much more than my aging Intel Mac too. But to each his own. Apple appreciates every nickel we are willing to pay.

The Apple remedy for me? VALUE. Offer a spike(s) in value for the money... like the Apple that won me over in the first place more than 20 years ago. Apple was premium priced then too but it wasn't so in our faces. That Jobsian Apple seemed more concerned with building incredible products and stockholder delight was a byproduct of that. Modern Apple seems to only care about "another record quarter" and every decision seems to revolve around extracting more-more-more from us. Throw consumers some real bones. Pump up some goodwill again. Etc. Else, see some long-termers reach their "straw" moments, add a PC (or other), discover it's not terrible and then open the door to more PC choices instead of only thinking Apple and nothing but Apple.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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