TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) has officially launched the mass production of its 3nm processors, which are expected to be used in the upcoming iPhone 15 and new Macs. The company held a ceremony on Thursday to mark the occasion and TSMC Chair Mark Liu used the event to talk about the benefits of the 3nm processors. According to Liu, the 3nm processors offer an unspecified increase in speed and a 35% increase in power efficiency. Here are the details…
TSMC’s 3nm Processors Offer Increased Power Efficiency for iPhone 15
Power efficiency is an important factor in electronic devices as it directly impacts the battery life of a device. The longer a device can go without needing to be charged, the more convenient it is for users. Therefore, an increase in power efficiency is a significant advantage for any device that uses these processors.
Historically, each new generation of Apple’s A-series processors has brought an increase in speed of between 10% and 25% between generations. The power efficiency increase is harder to quantify as it depends on a variety of external factors. However, Liu’s claim of a 35% increase in power efficiency for the 3nm processors is significant and could lead to a noticeable improvement in battery life for devices that use these processors.
Lui also mentioned that demand for the 3nm chips is “very strong,” though he did not specify which companies are purchasing them. As mentioned, Apple is TSMC’s largest customer, accounting for around 26% of the company’s revenue in 2021. Therefore, it is likely that Apple will be a major customer for the 3nm chips.
In addition to the announcement of the start of production for the 3nm processors, Liu also talked about TSMC’s plans for the next generation of processors using a 2nm manufacturing process. He stated that the company is confident in the future and will continue to work in Taiwan, even as it builds plants elsewhere. “The semiconductor industry will grow rapidly over the next decade,” Liu said, “and Taiwan will surely play an even more critical role in the global economy.”
It has also been reported that Apple will be the first company to use TSMC’s 3nm processors, though it was previously predicted that they would be used in a 2022 M2 MacBook Pro. The use of the 3nm processors in the iPhone 15 and new Macs will be a major technological advancement and could bring significant improvements in performance and power efficiency.
The iPhone 15 series will continue to feature Qualcomm 5G modems, as development at Apple on a custom-made chip continues.
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