Credits: TSMC
TSMC, the producer of chips for Apple, has unveiled its intentions to manufacture highly advanced 1.6nm chips, potentially targeting future iterations of Apple silicon.
TSMC unveiled a range of technologies, including the “A16” process, featuring a 1.6nm node. This advancement significantly boosts chip logic density and performance, promising substantial enhancements for high-performance computing (HPC) products and data centers.
Traditionally, Apple has been an early adopter of cutting-edge chip fabrication technologies. For instance, it was the first to employ TSMC’s 3nm node with the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and it’s likely to continue this trend with TSMC’s upcoming nodes. Typically, Apple’s most advanced chip designs debut in the iPhone before extending to the iPad and Mac lineups, eventually reaching the Apple Watch and Apple TV.
The A16 technology, set to commence production in 2026, integrates innovative nanosheet transistors and a unique backside power rail solution. This development is anticipated to deliver an 8-10% speed boost and reduce power consumption by 15-20% at equivalent speeds compared to TSMC’s N2P process, along with up to a 1.10x increase in chip density.
TSMC also introduced its System-on-Wafer (SoW) technology, consolidating multiple dies on a single wafer to enhance computing power while conserving space—a breakthrough that could revolutionize Apple’s data center operations. The initial SoW offering, based on Integrated Fan-Out (InFO) technology, is already in production. A more advanced chip-on-wafer version utilizing CoWoS technology is projected for readiness in 2027.
Progress is also underway at TSMC toward manufacturing 2nm and 1.4nm chips likely destined for future generations of Apple silicon. Trial production of the 2nm “N2” node is scheduled for the latter half of 2024, with mass production slated for late 2025, followed by an enhanced “N2P” process in late 2026. Facilities in Taiwan are expected to transition to producing “A14” 1.4nm chips by 2027.
Apple’s upcoming A18 chips for the iPhone 16 lineup are anticipated to utilize the N3E node, while the “A19” for the 2025 iPhone models could be Apple’s inaugural 2nm chip. Subsequently, Apple is likely to advance to an improved version of the 2nm node, followed by the newly introduced 1.6nm process.
Each successive TSMC node outpaces its predecessor in transistor density, performance, and efficiency. Towards the end of last year, reports emerged that TSMC had already showcased prototype 2nm chips to Apple ahead of their anticipated debut in 2025.