Chips on wafers – Image Credit: TSMC
TSMC has confirmed the existence of a 1.4-nanometer process, that will be used to make future Apple Silicon chips starting in 2028.
The performance improvements of Apple’s hardware is largely down to improvements in its chip designs, with newer versions getting faster over time. Another component is how the chips themselves are made, which is down to the efforts of Apple chip partner TSMC.
On Wednesday, TSMC used its North America Technology Symposium to unveil its A14 process. An improvement on the 2-nanometer N2 process, the A14 is anticipated by TSMC to help push forward artificial intelligence on servers, as well as on smartphones like the iPhone.
Currently, the N2 process is set to enter volume production later in 2025, and is expected to be used in the iPhone 17 Pro this fall. Compared to N2, the A14 process will provide a 15% speed improvement at the same power consumption rate, or up to 30% in power reduction for comparable performance.
There’s also a 20% increase in logic density — the amount of transistors and miniaturized circuitry it can squeeze into a space.
Destined for iPhone
While TSMC doesn’t specify what clients will use a specific announced technology or process, it is certain that Apple will be using it in its future chip efforts. Apple is a major client of TSMC, and uses its newest perfected processes in its A-series and Apple Silicon chips.
Based on TSMC’s claim that A14-process chips will enter mass production in 2028, that means the first Apple hardware to use it could be the iPhone 19 generation. Thanks to TSMC’s naming choice this time, it could confusingly mean that TSMC will use the A14 process to produce Apple’s A21 Pro chip.
That does all hinge on whether TSMC can actually perfect the process in time. Based on TSMC’s current assessment of smooth progress in terms of yield performance “ahead of schedule,” it seems to be a very likely prospect for the iPhone’s future processing needs.
