2022 iPhones and Macs May Feature 3nm Chips

[MacRumors]

The 2022 iPhones and Macs may feature chips built on the 3nm process, as Apple's leading chip supplier, TSMC, is planning to begin mass production for 3nm chips destined for Apple in the second half of next year, according to a preview of an upcoming report by DigiTimes.

The paywalled preview of the full report, which will be published tomorrow, reads:

TSMC is on track to move its 3nm process technology to volume production in the second half of 2022 for Apple's devices, either iPhones or Mac computers, according to industry sources.

Earlier in June, TSMC was reportedly beefing up capacity to begin production of 3nm chips, but DigiTimes at the time refrained from mentioning Apple as a potential initial beneficiary of the new process. Today's preview directly means that just two years after unveiling chips based on the 5nm process, Apple may plan to make a direct jump to 3nm as soon as next year.

Apple has already reportedly booked TSMC's entire production capacity for 4nm chips for Apple silicon Macs. That report, however, has no timeline as to when Macs with 4nm chips may debut.

The A14 Bionic chip, first introduced in an updated iPad Air and later put into the iPhone 12 series, is built on the 5nm process. Compared to earlier processes, the smaller architecture provides improved performance and increased energy efficiency. For this year's iPhone, Apple will use an enhanced version of the 5nm process.

The full report tomorrow is likely to offer more color surrounding Apple's plan to roll out chips built on the 3nm process. We'll be sure to let MacRumors' readers know if the new report shares anything of significance.

Article Link: 2022 iPhones and Macs May Feature 3nm Chips

 

[sniffies]

Basically speaking,

2022 iPhones and Macs will be better than 2021 iPhones and Macs

 

[Eddy Munn]

3nm or "3nm"?

 

[Serban55]

we already know by late 2024 apple will be on 2nm on the main devices

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

The future is looking bright globally.

Why are we skipping the year of 2021? Can we post more reports on what is expected this Fall?

When is the new MacBook Pro 16" being dropped to the public?

 

[svish]

Quite expected for iPhones. If 3nm for Macs, then great

 

[raccoontail]

So long as this enables apple to make thinner computers, particularly desktops, I'll be happy.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

So long as this enables apple to make thinner computers, particularly desktops, I'll be happy.

Mac's are already thin enough though.

 

[mongobongo]

You should probably know that:

“The term "3 nanometer" has no relation to any actual physical feature (such as gate length, metal pitch or gate pitch) of the transistors. It is a commercial or marketing term used by the chip fabrication industry to refer to a new, improved generation of silicon semiconductor chips in terms of increased transistor density, increased speed and reduced power consumption.”

3 nm process - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Techwatcher]

The future is looking bright globally.

Why are we skipping the year of 2021? Can we post more reports on what is expected this Fall?

When is the new MacBook Pro 16" being dropped?

A lot of folks have been waiting for the 16". That should be their priority.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

A lot of folks have been waiting for the 16". That should be their priority.

My 2017 15" is dieing. The Macbook Pro is so slow and laggy it's embarrassing

 

[vadimyuryev]

Mac's are already thin enough though.

They'll be thin enough with the new MacBook Air
Thin enough for Apple means that USB-C and the headphone jack are the only ports that can physically fit onto the side.

 

[Serban55]

You should probably know that:

“The term "3 nanometer" has no relation to any actual physical feature (such as gate length, metal pitch or gate pitch) of the transistors. It is a commercial or marketing term used by the chip fabrication industry to refer to a new, improved generation of silicon semiconductor chips in terms of increased transistor density, increased speed and reduced power consumption.”

3 nm process - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

everybody knows that...nobody said about actual physical feature, but since 3nm will be increased in density and speed and also in reduce power...but, again i suspect by the 2024 2nm process, the SoC with the same amount of Ram, can it be smaller than the current M1
This is great news

 

[sunapple]

So.. where does it end? 1nm? .5nm? It never ends?

 

[NBAasDOGG]

One must be a fool to actually believe the distance between or the actual size of the transistors is truly 3nm.

 

[ElectricPotato]

3nm or "3nm"?

As your post implies, current process naming has little relation to physical dimensions. Density, performance and yield are key metrics. TSMC is the industry leader. They could adopt a more informative naming convention without being accused of trying to hide inadequacies. It reminds me of the old "performance rating" naming for CPUs that mimic clock speeds but aren't really clock speeds.

 

[Serban55]

So.. where does it end? 1nm? .5nm? It never ends?

I’m not sure will we ever have 1nm physical dimension transistor using current tech. 3nm manufacturer BS is already very problematic. At those levels (5nm and bellow) quantum effects are very problematic. There is a “way around” and is called GAA - gate all around. GAA will be first used by Samsung, then Intel while TSMC still stays on FinFET. Next step will be nano-sheet and nano-wire GAA transistors.

At physical 1nm are enormous problems. Si atoms are 0.2 - 0.3 nm in diameter what means whole transistor will be 3 - 4 atoms what’s impossible cause MOSFET consists of Drain, Source and channel between. So, each will be single atom.

 

[anson42]

“The term "3 nanometer" has no relation to any actual physical feature (such as gate length, metal pitch or gate pitch) of the transistors. It is a commercial or marketing term used by the chip fabrication industry to refer to a new, improved generation of silicon semiconductor chips in terms of increased transistor density, increased speed and reduced power consumption.”

Neither did 5nm and recent larger "nodes". But 3nm is a generational improvement recognized by the industry so I suppose that's a good thing.

 

[Serban55]

One must be a fool to actually believe the distance between or the actual size of the transistors is truly 3nm.

no one thinks that....is like saying next iphone will have A15...is just a term for next gen of transistors SoC

 

[Techwatcher]

My 2017 15" is dieing. The Macbook Pro is so slow and laggy it's embarrassing

Yeah Apple is still killing it with the hardware (privacy argument aside lol) so the new 16 should be a big step up from the 2017 15".

 

[5425642]

The future is looking bright globally.

Why are we skipping the year of 2021? Can we post more reports on what is expected this Fall?

When is the new MacBook Pro 16" being dropped to the public?

Mid 2022

 

[macintoshmac]

I’m waiting for 0nm.

 

[Realityck]

I think all of us want to see what the next Apple Silicone Soc’s offer irregardless of it being 5nm or 3nm transistor density.

 

[ph001bi]

The 2022 iPhones and Macs may feature chips built on the 3nm process, as Apple's leading chip supplier, TSMC, is planning to begin mass production for 3nm chips destined for Apple in the second half of next year, according to a preview of an upcoming report by DigiTimes.

The paywalled preview of the full report, which will be published tomorrow, reads:
Earlier in June, TSMC was reportedly beefing up capacity to begin production of 3nm chips, but DigiTimes at the time refrained from mentioning Apple as a potential initial beneficiary of the new process. Today's preview directly means that just two years after unveiling chips based on the 5nm process, Apple may plan to make a direct jump to 3nm as soon as next year.

Apple has already reportedly booked TSMC's entire production capacity for 4nm chips for Apple silicon Macs. That report, however, has no timeline as to when Macs with 4nm chips may debut.

The A14 Bionic chip, first introduced in an updated iPad Air and later put into the iPhone 12 series, is built on the 5nm process. Compared to earlier processes, the smaller architecture provides improved performance and increased energy efficiency. For this year's iPhone, Apple will use an enhanced version of the 5nm process.

The full report tomorrow is likely to offer more color surrounding Apple's plan to roll out chips built on the 3nm process. We'll be sure to let MacRumors' readers know if the new report shares anything of significance.

Article Link: 2022 iPhones and Macs May Feature 3nm Chips

The 2022 iPhones and Macs may feature chips built on the 3nm process, as Apple's leading chip supplier, TSMC, is planning to begin mass production for 3nm chips destined for Apple in the second half of next year, according to a preview of an upcoming report by DigiTimes.

The paywalled preview of the full report, which will be published tomorrow, reads:
Earlier in June, TSMC was reportedly beefing up capacity to begin production of 3nm chips, but DigiTimes at the time refrained from mentioning Apple as a potential initial beneficiary of the new process. Today's preview directly means that just two years after unveiling chips based on the 5nm process, Apple may plan to make a direct jump to 3nm as soon as next year.

Apple has already reportedly booked TSMC's entire production capacity for 4nm chips for Apple silicon Macs. That report, however, has no timeline as to when Macs with 4nm chips may debut.

The A14 Bionic chip, first introduced in an updated iPad Air and later put into the iPhone 12 series, is built on the 5nm process. Compared to earlier processes, the smaller architecture provides improved performance and increased energy efficiency. For this year's iPhone, Apple will use an enhanced version of the 5nm process.

The full report tomorrow is likely to offer more color surrounding Apple's plan to roll out chips built on the 3nm process. We'll be sure to let MacRumors' readers know if the new report shares anything of significance.

Article Link: 2022 iPhones and Macs May Feature 3nm Chips

There are people who actually pay for a DigiTimes report?
I have a few bridges I'd like to sell. DM for info.

 

[gaximus]

They'll be thin enough with the new MacBook Air
Thin enough for Apple means that USB-C and the headphone jack are the only ports that can physically fit onto the side.

Thin enough for apple would be no ports and everything is wireless. They can't wait until it's thin enough that a USB C is too fat to fit.