TSMC to produce 5nm chips for iPhone 12?

Taiwanese semiconductor company TSMC is producing exclusively A-series chips, SoCs for iPhones, and it is expected that it will remain as an Apple partner in 2020.

According to reports, there are rumors that TSMC will start manufacturing A14 processors for the iPhone this year by the end of the second quarter. The new A14 processor is to convert the A12 in iPhone XS and the A13 in iPhone 11 series from 7mm manufacturing process to TSMC’s 6nm EUV extreme ultraviolet exposure process.

The semiconductor manufacturing process makes it possible to reduce the circuit line width. In general, the smaller the number, such as 10nm, 7nm, and 5nm, the more transistors fit into the same size chip and the closer the physical distance is, the higher the performance and energy efficiency tends to be.

TSMC is known to be at the forefront of the 5nm manufacturing process. As it is believed that two-thirds of the manufacturing capacity is occupied by next-generation iPhone chips, the tentatively named iPhone 12, which is expected to become the flagship in 2020, is highly likely to become the world’s first smartphone with a 5nm chip.

The observation that the A14 processor for the iPhone 12 will be a 5nm manufacturing process is not new. Rumors were reported early last year. Apple is pushing ahead with its competitors in miniaturizing the manufacturing process for A-series chips, and has appealed that it is the first 7nm processor in the A12 bionic industry that was installed in the 2018 model. Huawei also claims that it applied 7nm manufacturing process first, and there is a possibility that similar competition between the two companies will repeat in the 2020 model.

The iPhone 12 is expected to be upgraded considerably in terms of hardware, and it is predicted that the iPhone 4 style design design and screen size change model, rear camera and ToFQ type 3D sensor, and 5G support will be provided. For such high functionality, it may be necessary to use a 5nm processor to cover the increase in power consumption. Related information can be found here .