TSMC Expected to Begin Volume Production of 5nm-Based A14 Chips in April Ahead of iPhone 12 Models

[MacRumors]

TSMC will begin volume production of 5nm-based A14 chips for iPhone 12 models in April, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. A-series chip production usually begins around April-May, so the process appears to be on schedule.

TSMC has been Apple's exclusive supplier of A-series chips since 2016, and its chips have gradually become smaller as it continues to refine its manufacturing process, benefitting performance, battery life, and thermal management on iPhones.

• A10 chip: 16nm
• A11 chip: 10nm
• A12 chip: 7nm
• A13 chip: 7nm+
• A14 chip: 5nm expected

Last year, TSMC announced a $25 billion investment in its new 5nm node technology in a bid to remain Apple's exclusive supplier of processors.

Apple plans to introduce four high-end iPhone 12 models with 5G support in the fall, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A new lower-end iPhone is also widely rumored to launch in the first half of 2020, but it is expected to have an A13 chip.

Article Link: TSMC Expected to Begin Volume Production of 5nm-Based A14 Chips in April Ahead of iPhone 12 Models

 

[motm95]

5nm is incredible.

 

[adamw]

Smaller size is always better when it comes to chips. Less power draw (usually)...

 

[kemal]

25 giga bucks for Apple’s business alone? The are at least trying to get business from Nvidia.
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Smaller size is always better when it comes to chips. Less power draw (usually)...

Or more transistors in same area with higher power draw and problems moving the heat away. Never so easy.

 

[IIGS User]

A-14 It sees though time and orders your dinner.

Next week....

 

[cmaier]

25 giga bucks for Apple’s business alone? The are at least trying to get business from Nvidia.
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Or more transistors in same area with higher power draw and problems moving the heat away. Never so easy.

Each transistor will draw lower dynamic power, though, so typically even when you fit more in the same space you reduce power (assuming static power is under control).

 

[rosyapple]

Does this mean we expect to see new products in June? I sure hope so. I'm still crossing my fingers (and toes for added support!) for new product release in March.

 

[Agit21]

What happens after let’s say 1mm?

(I meant nm of course)

 

[Shirasaki]

What happens after let’s say 1mm?

It’s up to those scientists in the lab to find a material for 1nm transistor.

 

[BootLoxes]

What happens after let’s say 1mm?

Corona would have taken us all out by then

Serious answer they would have to move onto another material from silicon and go from there

 

[bookofxero]

Not sure that would even matter. They have already created 1nm transistors in the lab. I don't think the issue is the material used, but pesky quantum tunneling.

Corona would have taken us all out by then

Serious answer they would have to move onto another material from silicon and go from there

 

[cmaier]

What happens after let’s say 1mm?

0.8 nm (assuming you meant nanometer and not millimeter)
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It’s up to those scientists in the lab to find a material for 1nm transistor.

You don’t need a new material

 

[44267547]

Does this mean we expect to see new products in June? I sure hope so. I'm still crossing my fingers (and toes for added support!) for new product release in March.

Component manufactures may still move forward with manufacturing/distribution processes as scheduled, but it doesn’t mean necessarily mean that it guarantees a certain release date. That’s the most questionable part in terms of what Apple is facing, is the uncertainty of when the product will release pending the outcome if the situation.

 

[Zaft]

It’s just crazy how powerful hand held phones are these days.

 

[Falhófnir]

What happens after let’s say 1mm?

It drops down to Ångstrom territory - Silicon atoms are about 2Å (0.2nm) and my understanding is '5nm' chips don't (necessarily) actually have 5nm sized transistors, so there's potentially more room than it first appears. Don't think we will run out of road this decade at least, even without a significant breakthrough or new materials etc.

 

[firewood]

So how does a “5 nm” transistor compare to the size of the covid-19 virus?

 

[Tirial]

So how does a “5 nm” transistor compare to the size of the covid-19 virus?

It's quite a bit smaller. Even the smallest viruses are 20 nm in size.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

It’s just crazy how powerful hand held phones are these days.

I'd like to see more companies making their own version of Samsung's Dex. Phones are so powerful that they really could replace our laptops and computers.

Place your phone in a dock which is connected to a monitor, attach or connect a keyboard and mouse, and boom you're ready to go.

 

[Tirial]

It drops down to Ångstrom territory - Silicon atoms are about 2Å (0.2nm) and my understanding is '5nm' chips don't (necessarily) actually have 5nm sized transistors, so there's potentially more room than it first appears. Don't think we will run out of road this decade at least, even without a significant breakthrough or new materials etc.

Suggested next nodes from the wikipedia:

The ITRS uses (2017) the terms "2.1 nm", "1.5 nm", and "1.0 nm" as generic terms for the nodes after 3 nm. "2-nanometre" (2 nm) and "14 angstrom" (14 Å) nodes have also been (2017) tentatively identified by An Steegen (of IMEC) as future production nodes after 3 nm, with hypothesized introduction dates of ~2024, and beyond 2025 respectively.

In late 2018, TSMC chairman Mark Liu predicted chip scaling would continue to 3 nm and 2 nm nodes; however, as of 2019 other semiconductor specialists were undecided as to whether nodes beyond 3 nm could become viable. TSMC began research on 2nm in 2019.

In December 2019, Intel announced plans for 1.4 nm production in 2029.

 

[melgross]

They’re investing in the 5nm node because they want everybody to be their customer, not just Apple. Qualcomm and AMD will be there too. huawei uses them, but with the bans, it’s hard to say what will happen there, but I expect them to be there too.

 

[oneMadRssn]

For interesting but pointless context, the COVID-19 coronavirus is roughly 120nm in diameter.

 

[grachi]

I'd like to see more companies making their own version of Samsung's Dex. Phones are so powerful that they really could replace our laptops and computers.

Place your phone in a dock which is connected to a monitor, attach or connect a keyboard and mouse, and boom you're ready to go.

nintendo switch style

 

[cmaier]

For interesting but pointless context, the COVID-19 coronavirus is roughly 120nm in diameter.

So covid-19 is running on a ten year old process node.

 

[oneMadRssn]

So covid-19 is running on a ten year old process node.

Explains why people run hot with it.

 

[ksec]

TSMC has 5nm, 5nm+, 3nm, 3nm+ and 2nm pretty much all set in stone. That is up to 2024.

And I am typing this on a First Gen 14nm MacBook Pro Early 2015. Time do flies.