What you need to know
- Apple chipmaker TSMC has been given the green light to build a factory dedicated to producing 2nm chips.
- TSMC could be putting 2nm chips into iPhones in 2024
Apple chipmaker TSMC has been given the green light to build a new factory that will be dedicated to the production of 2nm chips. It's expected that the factory will be ready for testing in 2023, with the 2024 iPhone potentially benefitting from the new chips.
Apple's current iPhone 12 is based on a 5nm manufacturing process and the upcoming iPhone 13 is expected to build on that with a more efficient 5nm process. Now, it seems that TSMC will be ready to put 2nm chips into iPhones as soon as 2024 after Taiwan officials gave it the go-ahead to build a new plant in Hsinchu.
According to a Nikkei report, the plan is to have the plan ready for production equipment to be installed and tested in 2023. Assuming all goes well, we can likely expect production to be all set for iPhone time come September of 2024.
TSMC received approval for the site after promising to use recycled water — the plant will use a lot of it.
The planned 2-nm chip plant will be located in Hsinchu's Baoshan township and cover nearly 50 acres. It is expected to use 98,000 tons of water a day -- roughly 50% of TSMC's total daily water consumption in 2020. The chipmaker has promised to use 10% recycled water by 2025 and reach 100% reused water by 2030 at the new Baoshan facility.
Switching to a 2nm process will allow for faster A-series chips that use less power and generate less heat — things that are always positives in a mobile device. Whatever the 2024 iPhone winds up being called, it'll surely be the best iPhone ever — and that 2nm chip won't hurt!
