Mass Production of A15 Chip for iPhone 13 Set to Begin Ahead of Schedule in Late May

Longtime Apple supplier TSMC is set to begin mass shipments of Apple's upcoming A15 chip for the iPhone 13 ahead of schedule at the end of May, according to a snippet of a full report set to be published tomorrow by DigiTimes.

iPhone 13 Notch Feature
The new chip will be based on an enhanced version of the 5nm process, which first debuted in the A14 Bionic with the 2020 iPad Air and ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. While the full report will likely offer more details as to the specifics of the new chip that will power the next-generation iPhones, it can be reasonably assumed that it will improve on performance and power efficiency.

Due to impacts to suppliers as a result of the global health crisis, Apple launched the ‌iPhone‌ 12 series in October, out of the normal September timeframe. With impacts to supply chains now easing, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple is on track to release the iPhone 13 in September. With TSMC now believed to be starting mass shipments of the new chip ahead of schedule, that certainly does seem to be the case.

Improved performance and power efficiency in the A15 will be one of the multiple rumored features coming to the 2021 iPhones. Information so far suggests that Apple will relocate the earpiece to the top bezel for the upcoming iPhones, resulting in a smaller notch.

Internally, Apple is expected to include a ProMotion 120Hz and always-on-display for at least some ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. Additional features include a rumored new matte black option, improved fingerprint resistance for the stainless steel edges, and possibly an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...

Top Rated Comments

Darth Tulhu Avatar
63 months ago
Never would have thought that these chips would become the powerhouses that they are, way back in 2007.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
63 months ago
The entire micro-electronics industry is in disarray and Apple is managing to get it's suppliers to produce it's chips ahead of schedule? Good job Apple.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
63 months ago
Imagine, new faster Mac Chips being on time yearly and consistantly. ~ John Lennon
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
63 months ago
Apple! Take my money in advance. I am ready!!!! Let’s go

P.S. Only 5 months away till new iPhone is released. Get your passport ready folks.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
63 months ago
I wonder if the 'M1X' will be based on the A15 chip then...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neilw Avatar
63 months ago

"Improved performance and power efficiency"

When has that never been the case?
Yeah, right up there with "This is the most powerful iPhone yet". :rolleyes:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)