Apple Partner TSMC Unveils Advanced 1.4nm Process for 2028 Chips

Apple chipmaker TSMC at the North America Technology Symposium has teased its next-generation A14 process node that will enter planned production in 2028.

apple silicon 1 feature
The cutting-edge A14 node will allow for highly advanced 1.4nm chips that are likely to be utilized for future generations of Apple silicon. Compared to TSMC's N2 node, A14 promises up to 15% faster performance at the same power or up to 30% power savings at the same performance. A14 also boasts over 20% logic density improvement.

TSMC said it is also evolving its TSMC NanoFlex standard cell architecture to NanoFlex Pro, enabling greater performance, power efficiency, and design flexibility. From the company's press release:

"Our customers constantly look to the future, and TSMC's technology leadership and manufacturing excellence provides them with a dependable roadmap for their innovations," said TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. "TSMC's cutting-edge logic technologies like A14 are part of a comprehensive suite of solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds to unleash our customers' innovation for advancing the AI future."

It's not known which of TSMC's clients will stand to benefit first from the new 1.4nm chips, but given the close partnership between the company and Apple, it's a good bet that the latter will be at the front of the queue to place orders.

TSMC's industry-leading 2nm process is set to enter volume production later this year. Apple is not expected to introduce devices using TSMC's 2nm (N2) process node until 2026, suggesting that the iPhone 18 series will be first to adopt the technology in Apple's A20 chip.

Both the iPhone 17 and the upcoming M5 chip for Macs and iPads are expected to continue to utilize TSMC's 3nm process, specifically the third-generation N3P node. This decision is primarily due to the high costs and limited production capacity associated with the 2nm process at this time.

Tag: TSMC

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Top Rated Comments

McWetty Avatar
9 months ago
My iPhone 15Pro is plenty performant. Instead, I would love a 30% increase in battery life on my iPhone. But I doubt that will be a priority.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bustycat Avatar
9 months ago

Let’s start getting in the habit of saying angstroms. It’s 14 angstroms.
That's why the process node is named "A14" by TSMC.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
attohs Avatar
9 months ago

If you made a nanometer a big as a millimetre then a mm would have to become a kilometre ( 0.6 miles )

These are incredibly small measurements.
Sure, but this is marketing. The actual gate transistor sizes stopped getting smaller at around 14nm.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25909934

https://en.teqnoverse.com/others/the-truth-about-2nm-chips-precision-engineering-or-clever-marketing/
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rp2011 Avatar
9 months ago
The whining. Off the bat. First response. Whahhh my iPhone is fast enough? Why do we need a faster iPhone? It's like a bizarro world up in here sometimes, complaining things are getting better, allowing more capabilities, longer battery life thinner devices.
The technological feat. The ingenuity. Having something this amazing in your pocket, moving things forward year after year. Geez, some of you just need to save some money and just buy used iPhones from now on and chill on the insane whining.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ForkHandles Avatar
9 months ago
If you made a nanometer a big as a millimetre then a mm would have to become a kilometre ( 0.6 miles )

These are incredibly small measurements.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tipoo Avatar
9 months ago
In before the WhAt HaPpEnS aFtEr 1nm crowd

These names have been pure marketing for decades, if you take TSMC N7 for instance it had 36nm and 50nm gate widths and fin pitches. Don't take it from me, take it from Jim Keller, there's plenty left to shrink as these are three dimensional objects nowhere near a nanometer yet in reality.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)