What you need to know
- DigiTimes says that the production of Apple's first Apple silicon chips will begin as soon as next month.
- It says new Apple silicon chips using 5nm technology will be made in Q4 of 2020.
- This is expected to be the A14X chip for a new iPad Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac.
A new DigiTimes report says that Apple's new Apple silicon chips will begin production in Q4 of 2020, which could mean as early as October.
The report states:
Apple is gearing up for the launch of its new-generation MacBook and iPad Pro series powered by its own Arm-based processors, which will be fabricated using TSMC's 5nm process technology. TSMC is expected to start making Apple Silicon in fourth-quarter 2020. Apple's growing adoption of SiP technology is setting a trend that many in the semiconductor sector are keen to follow. And leading backend services providers expect sales from their SiP businesses to climb about 30% in 2020.
Apple's main chip supplier TSMC will reportedly begin production of the 5nm chips in Q4 of 2020. Monthly output of 5000-6000 chips is expected.
It is likely that this refers to Apple's A14X processor, a more powerful version of the A14 chip we're expecting in iPhone 12.
Recent reports suggest Apple plans to include the A14X processor in a new 12-inch MacBook, as well as Apple's new iPad Pro.
Reports from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo however, stated that Apple's first Apple Silicon Mac wil be a 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Reports of Apple silicon (although we didn't know the name of it then) in April suggested Apple was working on three versions of Mac processor based on Apple's A14 chip, and that these will be "much faster" than current iPhone and iPad processors.
