Apple’s next-gen iPhone models appear to be headed towards a 2-nanometer production process.
Per a post published on Saturday by noted Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the A20 chip in Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 18 models will be manufactured with TSMC’s 2nm process.
Kuo stated that TSMC’s trial production of 2nm chips has now reached yields well above the 60 to 70 percent range. The yield refers to the percentage of functional chips that can be obtained per silicon wafer, which is essentially a large, circular disc of chips.
The transition to a 2nm process would be helpful, as the A20 chip being 2nm instead of 3nm means it will have more substantial performance and power efficiency improvements over the A19 chip for iPhone 17 models. Kuo, Pu, and others have all said that the A19 chip will be manufactured using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process, called N3P.
Such a move also allows for more transistors per chip, which boosts performance. Reports have also indicated that the A20 chips should be up to 15 percent faster and up to 30 percent more power efficient than A19 chips.
An overview of current and expected chips:
- A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC’s first-generation 3nm process N3B)
- A18 and A18 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process N3E)
- A19 and A19 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC’s third-generation 3m process N3P)
- A20 and A20 Pro chips: 2nm (TSMC’s first-generation 2nm process N2)
The anticipated iPhone 18 models are thought to be en route for the fall of 2026.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors and @mingchikuo