Apple, one of the leaders in technological innovation, will continue to collaborate with TSMC for its future chips. As the American company prepares to integrate 3nm chips, including the N3B version that will equip the A17 Bionic, it could also be one of the first customers to exploit the 2 nm technology from TSMCwhich is about to enter the experimental production phase.
2 nm etching starts to make waves, Apple and Nvidia set to benefit
Mass production of TSMC’s 2 nm wafers is still several years away, and other versions based on the 3 nm process are to be used for future products. In addition to Apple, NVIDIA is also mentioned as another customer who will benefit from TSMC’s 2 nm process. No other customers were disclosed in the report, suggesting that these two giants will be the first to receive shipments of 2 nm etched chips.
TSMC reported to have affected about 1,000 researchers and developers at its facility currently under construction, known as the ” Fab 20” located in Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park.
Given Apple’s importance as a key customer, it’s likely that 2 nm technology will be used to produce chipsets for a variety of products. However, as the company’s iPhone range generates the most revenue, it is highly likely that this advanced technology will be massively employed to manufacture the next-generation A-series SoC.
As for NVIDIA, although the report doesn’t specify which product will take advantage of the 2nm process, it’s possible that the GPU manufacturer will take its time launching GeForce graphics processors on this technology node.
Given the Cupertino-based company’s constant drive to stay ahead of the market and the competition, it’s highly likely that it will be prepared to pay a premium price to get the first shipments of 2 nm etched chips.
It’s also possible that the tech giant will switch to the more economical N3E process for its future A17 Bionic and M3 chips next year. So we’ll have to wait a little longer before the first chips based on 2 nm technology are unveiled by the company.