A16 Bionic Chip in iPhone 14 Reportedly Set to Be Based on '4nm' Process [Updated]

The chip powering the next-generation iPhone will reportedly be based on a "4nm" process, an even smaller process compared to the 5nm process used in the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineups, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming report from DigiTimes.

m1 4nm feature2
Last year, Apple adopted a 5nm process with the A14 Bionic chip in the latest iPad Air and the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13, it used an enhanced iteration of the 5nm process. For the ‌iPhone‌ 14, the report claims Apple and its chipmaking partner TSMC are looking to adopt a "4nm" process for the A16 Bionic, the likely name for the chip powering the next-generation ‌iPhone‌.

A smaller process reduces a chip's physical footprint and offers improved performance and enhanced energy efficiency. A report yesterday by The Information claimed that TSMC and Apple are facing technical challenges in producing a 3nm chip, possibly being a reason the ‌iPhone‌ 14 will feature a "4nm" process instead.

Separate reports from earlier in the year have suggested that Apple has booked all of TSMC's production capacity for the ‌3nm‌ process, which could instead debut in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and next-generation Apple silicon Mac computers in several years.

With the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro already released, we now await what Apple has in store for the ‌iPhone‌ 14. While we're still a little under a year away from its launch, rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 will feature one of the most significant ‌iPhone‌ redesigns of the past several years. Get caught up on the latest rumors about Apple's next-generation ‌iPhone‌ using our roundup.

Update: While the ‌DigiTimes‌ report said "Apple will likely adopt TSMC's 4nm process," TSMC refers to the process as "N4P" and describes it as a "third major enhancement of TSMC's 5nm family."

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 2

Wednesday November 12, 2025 3:29 pm PST by
Apple today provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26.2, which adds a few new features worth knowing about. Measure App Apple's Measure app now features a Liquid Glass design for the level, with two Liquid Glass bubbles instead of white circles. Games App There's now an option to sort games in the Games app Library by size, in addition to Name and Recent. CarPlay The...
apple intelligence erroneous support list

Apple Intelligence Apparently Too Smart for M1 Macs After Listing Error

Wednesday November 12, 2025 2:49 am PST by
Update: It took a day, but Apple has now corrected its Apple Intelligence device compatibility list to show support for the earliest Apple silicon Macs. The original article follows. Apple's website is causing some confusion among Mac owners, and for good reason – its device compatibility listing for Apple Intelligence appears to have dropped support for M1 Macs. The U.S. version...

Top Rated Comments

slplss Avatar
53 months ago
Getting closer to 0nm.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cihag Avatar
53 months ago

rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 will feature one of the most significant iPhone redesigns of the past several years.
Hmm, back to curves instead of flat edges, I guess?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamjackson Avatar
53 months ago
A4 was 45nm from 45 to 4 in 12 years. or 45 to 5 in 10. Freaking remarkable.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jjswan33 Avatar
53 months ago
Hate to burst everyone's bubble but there is nothing on these chips that is actually 4nm in dimensions just like the current 5-6-7nm processes that every chip manufacturer is making. It's all a historical node naming convention.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTemple Avatar
53 months ago
4nm is a bit less than 20 silicon atoms wide (counting bonds/etc). Wild.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WWPD Avatar
53 months ago

What happens next? 1nm and then what?
Bio-neural gel packs.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)