Before Apple launches its new MacBooks, it was believed that the chipset used is the A14X Bionic. Whatever it is, the fact is that the TSMC-manufactured chip is powerful and future chips are only going to get better. Now, sources claim that the A16 chipset could be available as early as late 2021.
According to a TrendForce report, Apple is TSMC's only customer when it comes to 5nm mobile chipsets. The company is currently using 85-90% of its 5nm wafer capacity, which means it can actually take in more business. For next year, this 85-90% utilisation rate is expected to continue, with TSMC's business mostly coming from orders for Apple's A15 Bionic mobile chipsets and AMD's Zen 4 CPUs.
TSMC expected to continue leading in 5nm chips, with Samsung slowly catching up
One interesting thing in the report is the mentions of mass-production of microchip wafers on the 4nm node. It's believed that as early as late 2021, MediaTek, Nvidia, and Qualcomm will start mass-producing 5/4nm chips. Also, it's speculated that Apple's A16 Bionic chipset will be manufactured in that same timeframe. There's more to the report, but note that they're mostly speculation right now.
For us consumers, the switch to 4nm would mean a big increase in performance of products, so that's definitely something to look forward to. But aside from chipset, what's the one big feature you want to see improved in smartphones? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news.
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