Apple can hardly keep up with the production of the iPhone 13, since there is already a hiccup in the rumor mill about the successor. Specifically, it’s about the super chip of the iPhone 14 and its manufacturing process. How far is miniaturization actually going?

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In autumn 2022, every industry observer expects both the iPhone 14 and the Apple A16 – Apple’s new super chip. Of course it will be faster and more efficient again, however, it is unclear with which manufacturing process this is what Apple wants to achieve.

iPhone 14: Apple’s challenges with the new super chip

At the moment, Apple or the chip manufacturer TSMC is using a manufacturing process in 5 nm technology in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. The DigiTimes experts now want to know that the Apple A16 of the iPhone 14 the step to 4 nm succeeds (Source: DigiTimes via MacRumors). But how safe is this anyway? TSMC explicitly describes the aforementioned N4P manufacturing process as the “third major improvement in the 5nm family”. So just a “small” update in miniaturization and not a major leap? The answer remains in the dark.

There were confusing reports before. Earlier reports even suspected the use of an even more advanced one Manufacturing process in 3 nm, but it shouldn’t come to that just yet – the challenge is too big at the moment.

The iPhone 13 is currently demonstrating how well the balance between performance and power consumption works – you can see it in the Video:

Why miniaturization?

With that we would have got through all sizes … 5 nm, 4 nm or even 3 nm – what a hitch. There is no certainty yet. You are probably still happily testing which chip you will ultimately be able to manufacture in bulk. This approach is ultimately quite normal and not extraordinary. But what does miniaturization actually bring?

In short: A smaller manufacturing process reduces the space requirement of a chip and offers better performance and higher energy efficiency. So the iPhone will faster and saves more energy – which is in the very best interests of all customers.