TSMC Expected to Begin 'A14' 5nm Chip Production in Second Quarter - MacRumors
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TSMC Expected to Begin 'A14' 5nm Chip Production in Second Quarter

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As expected, Apple chipmaker TSMC has secured orders for the "A14" processors to go in this year's iPhones and is expected to start manufacturing the chips in the second quarter, according to industry sources cited in a DigiTimes report.

a13 bionic mockup

The sources said Apple's 5G mmWave handsets to be released in 2020 are reportedly to each carry at least three AiP modules, which can also be packaged with FC_AiP (flip-chip) process in addition to InFo_AiP.

TSMC has been working hard to miniaturize its fabrication process to 5 nanometers – down from 7 nanometer fabrication seen in the A12 and A13 – with the aim of securing orders for Apple's processors in its iPhones for the fourth year running.

Previous successes in miniaturization have enabled the foundry to be Apple's exclusive supplier of A-series chips, beginning with the A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7/7 Plus, and continuing with the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone 8/8 Plus and ‌iPhone‌ X, the A12 Bionic in the iPhone XR/XS/XS Max, and the A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 series.

Last year it announced a $25 billion investment in the new 5nm node technology in a bid to remain the exclusive supplier of the processors.

Apple is expected to release five new ‌iPhone‌ models in 2020, including a so-called ‌iPhone SE 2‌ with a 4.7-inch LCD display in the first half of 2020, followed by a higher-end all-OLED 5G lineup consisting of 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models in the second half of the year.

Tag: TSMC
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

maflynn Avatar
maflynn
82 months ago

Because intel makes real chips, not baby mobile chip crap like Apple. Silly comparison.
The last time I checked these baby mobile chips are performing as fast as those real chips :rolleyes:

What's silly is quick dismissiveness of apple's innovation
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
maflynn
82 months ago
5nm - wow, and Intel can't get to 10mn :oops:
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
calstanford
82 months ago

Because intel makes real chips, not baby mobile chip crap like Apple. Silly comparison.
Childish "baby" comment.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
cmaier
82 months ago

5nm - wow, and Intel can't get to 10mn :oops:
Can’t directly compare (Intel 10nm is about the same as TSMC 7nm), but yeah, TSMC seems to be almost a generation ahead.


Because intel makes real chips, not baby mobile chip crap like Apple. Silly comparison.
A fab is a fab. AMD uses TSMC as a fab. The same factory that makes “baby mobile chip crap” at 5nm is set to make Ryzens.

Face it - Intel is about a generation behind.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
manu chao
82 months ago

5nm - wow, and Intel can't get to 10mn :oops:
There is some hope that when those 5 nm A14 chips ship in iPhones in September, Intel might also have managed to ship 10 nm chips in large quantities. Moreover, Intel and TSMC define the size of the process node differently (it depends on which part of, eg, a transitor you measure). Intel's 10 nm process is much closer to TSMC's 7 nm process than to TSMC's 10 nm process.

That still means that Intel is about one process node step behind.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topgunn Avatar
topgunn
82 months ago
For reference, a silicon atom is 0.2 nanometers across which means that the thickness here is 25 silicon atoms. How much further can we go?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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