The slightly advanced 2nm ‘N2P’ process from TSMC is reportedly being used by Qualcomm and MediaTek, with both companies aiming to gain an advantage over Apple later this year. However, the Cupertino firm is expected to match its rivals’ competitiveness by adopting the same manufacturing process next year for the A21 Pro, but only the latter will receive preferential treatment for the improved technology, not the A21.
Standard A21 for the base iPhone 20 could stick with TSMC’s 2nm N2, as wafer and memory costs threaten to chew through Apple’s profits
In a report from Commercial Times, Apple is reported to move to TSMC’s 1.4nm node for its A22 Pro in 2028, making it the first time that the California-based giant will transition to a sub-2nm process. Interestingly, there’s no mention of the standard A22 using the same technology, with the A21 also being left out of the conversation.
Seeing as how wafer costs continue to rise and the entire memory shortage making it highly difficult to retain margins, Apple might have to make some compromises. Based on the report, the A21 will be built on TSMC’s 2nm N2 node, the same one expected to be used for the A20 and A20 Pro. Despite being a trillion-dollar entity, Apple doesn’t have a bottomless pit of cash lying around to spend on whatever it wants.
Also, it’s not like moving the A21 Pro to TSMC’s 2nm N2P process will immediately put the standard A21 at a severe disadvantage, because the difference between N2 and its successor is a measly 5 percent performance improvement at the same clock speed. Given Apple’s expertise in chipmaking, it could easily forego the use of the advanced lithography in favor of architecture improvements.
A prime example of this is the four efficiency cores belonging to the A19 Pro, which can deliver a performance improvement of up to 29 percent at zero power draw. Then again, Apple could move to N2P for the A21 Pro to maintain technological competitiveness with its rivals, and by that time, the technology could have matured to the point that TSMC’s wafers cost less.
It’s important that Commercial Times doesn’t have the cleanest of track records, so readers should treat this information with a pinch of salt, and we’ll return with more updates.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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