Apple chip supplier TSMC will begin production of advanced 2nm chips by 2025, in what is likely to contribute to a key future iteration of Apple silicon, Nikkei Asia reports.
TSMC made the announcement at an industry event on Thursday, explaining that its 2nm technology will be based on “nanosheet transistor architecture.” Nanosheet architecture is a totally different chip technology from the FinFET infrastructure used for TSMC’s current 5nm chips, delivering significant performance and efficiency improvements. Apple’s latest chips, such as the M2 and A15 Bionic, are produced with TSMC’s 5nm fabrication process.
TSMC’s first 3nm chips are due to begin production in the second half of 2022. Apple could introduce custom silicon chips based on TSMC’s 3nm process as soon as this year, but other reports claim that the technology is likely to debut with the “M3” and “A17” chips in 2023.
The 2025 timeframe is the first official schedule for the company’s 2nm chip production and is highly likely to be used for future Apple silicon chips. The 2nm fabrication process, also known simply as “N2,” is expected to offer a 10 to 15 percent speed improvement at the same power or a 25 to 30 percent power reduction at the same speed compared to chips made with the supplier’s 3nm technology.
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