Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has for the first time officially referenced its advanced 1.4nm fabrication technology, anticipated to be a key component in future Apple silicon chips.
Revealed through a slide from TSMC’s Future of Logic panel, the 1.4nm node, named “A14”, represents a significant advancement following the company’s “N2” 2nm chips.
The N2 chip series, slated for mass production towards the end of 2025, will be succeeded by an improved version, the “N2P” node, around late 2026. This timeline suggests that A14 chips might not be seen in the market before 2027.
Apple has been at the forefront of adopting TSMC’s cutting-edge technology, being the initial user of the 3nm technology in the A17 Pro chip, featured in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This trend is expected to continue with TSMC’s forthcoming nodes.
Historically, Apple’s latest chip innovations debut in the iPhone series before expanding to the iPad and Mac lineups.
The progression of iPhone’s chip technology could unfold as follows:
- iPhone XR and XS (2018): A12 Bionic (7nm, N7)
- iPhone 11 lineup (2019): A13 Bionic (7nm, N7P)
- iPhone 12 lineup (2020): A14 Bionic (5nm, N5)
- iPhone 13 Pro (2021): A15 Bionic (5nm, N5P)
- iPhone 14 Pro (2022): A16 Bionic (4nm, N4P)
- iPhone 15 Pro (2023): A17 Pro (3nm, N3B)
- iPhone 16 Pro (2024): “A18” (3nm, N3E)
- “iPhone 17 Pro” (2025): “A19” (2nm, N2)
- “iPhone 18 Pro” (2026): “A20” (2nm, N2P)
- “iPhone 19 Pro” (2027): “A21” (1.4nm, A14)
Furthermore, Apple’s M1 series, based on the A14 Bionic, utilizes TSMC’s N5 node. The subsequent M2 and M3 series employ N5P and N3B nodes, respectively. In the Apple Watch sector, the S4 and S5 chips incorporate N7, while S6, S7, and S8 utilize N7P, and the latest S9 chip is built on the N4P node.
Each new TSMC node surpasses its predecessors in transistor density, performance, and efficiency. Recently, it was revealed that TSMC had showcased prototype 2nm chips to Apple, indicating a progressive stride towards their expected release in 2025.