Apple Seemingly Avoiding Latest Chip Tech for New iPhones and Macs

[MacRumors]

Apple is expected to use TSMC's base 2-nanometer N2 process rather than the newer N2P variant for its upcoming A20 and M6 chips, according to the China Times.

Apple is rumored to launch the A20 chip with new iPhone models in the fall, and the M6 family of Apple silicon chips in redesigned MacBook Pro models featuring OLED displays later this year. The latest report claims that the company will not move to TSMC's most advanced 2-nanometer manufacturing variant for these chip generations.

TSMC's 2-nanometer family marks the company's transition from FinFET transistors to gate-all-around technology, which is intended to improve power efficiency and performance scaling as chip densities increase. TSMC previously said that its base N2 process will enter mass production in 2026, followed by enhanced variants including N2P and A16 in the second half of the year.

N2P is positioned as a higher-performance version of N2, while A16 is designed for high-power and high-complexity chips, particularly for AI applications and data centers. The performance difference between N2 and N2P is expected to be modest. N2P offers roughly a 5% performance gain at the same power level, but comes at a higher manufacturing cost, which helps explain why Apple is expected to remain on N2 for its A- and M-series chips this year.

Competitors including Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to adopt N2P for their flagship mobile chips in order to reach higher peak clock speeds. TSMC apparently expects the 2-nanometer generation to have a long lifecycle and potentially scale beyond its 3-nanometer family. Companies including AMD, Google, and Amazon are expected to adopt 2-nanometer processes for future CPUs, GPUs, and AI chips.

Supply availability is also thought to be a factor. Demand for 2-nanometer manufacturing has apparently exceeded expectations, with much of the initial N2 capacity already reserved by leading customers such as Apple. This early capacity allocation reduces the need for Apple to move to N2P simply to secure production volume for future A-series and M-series chips.

Crucially, since N2P only begins mass production in the second half of the year, it likely does not leave enough time for Apple to introduce chips made with the newer technology to its devices. N2 chips are already in production.

Article Link: Apple Seemingly Avoiding Latest Chip Tech for New iPhones and Macs

 

[The_Gream]

Let the other guys pay the big fees. Apple still has some of the best if not the best chips at there.
Qualcomm needs all the help they can get. Last report I read compared Qualcomm’s recent chip to the M4, even though the M5 had been out for a few months.
Apple’s performance cores I think are best in class for clock speed outside over clocked CPUs. Most of the competitors only beat them on multi-core cause they load up like 12-18 cores to Apple’s 6-10.

 

[gavroche]

This article makes it sound like they won't be available in time, or that it is too high of a risk. If that's the case, the wording of the title making it sound like they just don't want to use it is misleading.

 

[CWallace]

Or they just cannot get them with AI companies soaking up the production lot.

That being said, the A and M series probably don't really benefit from being on the absolute bleeding edge process since they are focused on performance per watt rather than raw performance. Apple used TSMC's first 3nm process because that is all that was available at the time, but quickly moved to later and more mature 3nm processes as they became available. So sounds like Apple will just wait (or be forced to wait) for the more mature 2nm process which will bring benefits like higher yields and lower prices.

 

[Ja50n]

This article makes it sound like they won't be available in time, or that it is too high of a risk. If that's the case, the wording of the title making it sound like they just don't want to use it is misleading.

Agreed, and the pricing is probably higher for N2P. Apple already has the lead in ARM performance, so they can afford to hold off, and perhaps this will keep prices closer to pre-RAM-shortage levels.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Agreed, and the pricing is probably higher for N2P. Apple already has the lead in ARM performance, so they can afford to hold off, and perhaps this will keep prices closer to pre-RAM-shortage levels.

That is in the article: "The performance difference between N2 and N2P is expected to be modest. N2P offers roughly a 5% performance gain at the same power level, but comes at a higher manufacturing cost, which helps explain why Apple is expected to remain on N2 for its A- and M-series chips this year."

 

[tenthousandthings]

Here's my prediction:

• Apple A19, A19 Pro, M5, M5 Pro/Max/Ultra = TSMC N3P (2025-2026)
• Apple A20, A20 Pro, M6 = TSMC N2
• Apple M6 Pro/Max = TSMC N2 (no M6 Ultra)
• Apple A21, A21 Pro, M7 = TSMC N2P
• Apple M7 Pro/Max/Ultra = TSMC A16 (2028)
• Apple A22, A22 Pro, M8 = TSMC A14
• Apple M8 Pro/Max = TSMC A14 (no M8 Ultra)
• Apple A23, A23 Pro, M9, M9 Pro/Max/Ultra = TSMC A14P (2029-2030)

This covers TSMC's transitions both [1] from FinFET to Nanosheet (gate-all-around) transistors and [2] their hop-step(s) to Super Power Rail (backside power delivery network) architecture.

 

[rikki_t]

Or maybe it's just typical Apple Rev A strategy, A6 will be a bare bones revision sold on hype alone and the jump to N2P will come when they produce a more finished version of the architecture, presumably with M7 or 8 or 9

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think Apple wants to avoid potential yield issues by not going to TSMC's N2P fab process.

 

[svish]

Release timing of the chip combined with the higher price should be the only reason for Apple opting for the base variant. Could give Apple higher profit margin.

 

[crazy dave]

Crucially, since N2P only begins mass production in the second half of the year, it likely does not leave enough time for Apple to introduce chips made with the newer technology to its devices. N2 chips are already in production.

That's the actual reason. You published the exact same article for N2 and the M5:

Apple Orders M5 Chips From TSMC Ahead of Late 2025 Production

Apple has ordered M5 chips from TSMC as the company begins production development of its next-generation processor for future devices, reports Korean-language outlet The Elec citing Taiwanese media. The M5 series is expected to feature an enhanced ARM architecture and will reportedly be...

www.macrumors.com

declaring Apple not using N2 for the M5 for cost reasons despite N2 simply not being available in time to use for the A19 and M5. (No one else has shipped N2 products yet either) And now here's N2 reportedly being used for the M6 exactly as one would predict just based on timing.

 

[Populus]

I just don’t understand the idea the article transmits around the N2 chips. Sentences like “N2 chips are already in production” implying that current gen chips are using that technology, when the M5 (N3P) still has to be deployed beyond the 14” MBP and the iPad Pro.

There are rumors saying the M6 gen of Macs will come soon after the M5 one. If that were the case, I think I would postpone the purchase of my M5 Mac mini for the M6 gen, because the M6 seems to be more a significant upgrade

 

[now i see it]

and to think that 32nm chips a while ago were bleeding edge, blow your mind, blazing fast - and now utterly rubbish.

2nm chips will eventually experience the same fate.

 

[Ja50n]

That is in the article: "The performance difference between N2 and N2P is expected to be modest. N2P offers roughly a 5% performance gain at the same power level, but comes at a higher manufacturing cost, which helps explain why Apple is expected to remain on N2 for its A- and M-series chips this year."

I missed that, thanks!

 

[crazy dave]

I just don’t understand the idea the article transmits around the N2 chips. Sentences like “N2 chips are already in production” implying that current gen chips are using that technology, when the M5 (N3P) still has to be deployed beyond the 14” MBP and the iPad Pro.

There are rumors saying the M6 gen of Macs will come soon after the M5 one. If that were the case, I think I would postpone the purchase of my M5 Mac mini for the M6 gen, because the M6 seems to be more a significant upgrade

To be fair, given ramp up times, even if the releases go off later in the year, it's likely that N2-based chips likely are already in production (or very soon will be). I remember reading that to hit a September launch window, Apple and TSMC start chip production in the beginning of the year - like February-March timeframe.

 

[bodonnell202]

Misleading title - N2P is not going to be ready for high volume production in time to make A20 chips for fall 2026 release. N2P will most likely be used for A21 chips in 2027.

 

[BorisDG]

Misleading title - N2P is not going to be ready for high volume production in time to make A20 chips for fall 2026 release. N2P will most likely be used for A21 chips in 2027.

Exactly this. A20 was never planned/expected to be N2P. "P" usually is 1+ years in the cycle of the every node.

 

[Parowdy]

TL;DR

N2P will only be available shortly before the new iPhones release, so Apple can’t use that process.
Apples doesn’t avoid it, that’s just a clickbait statement.

 

[retroneo]

If N2P is starting production in the second half of the year, and TSMC take 4 months to etch all layers of a single wafer then it isn't shipping this year.

 

[jz0309]

since it takes ~ 3 months for those chips to go from start to finish, and they need to be at the iPhone assembly line in early July, they'll need to start early April at the latest. If TSMC is not in production until 2nd half - there's your answer.