TSMC shows off 2nm N2 process to be used in next-gen Apple chips

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Thanks to TSMC, Apple was the first to deliver 3nm chips with the A17 Pro and the new M3 silicon, but the Cupertino company is already looking towards the future and ready to jump to the 2-nanometer ship. 

The race to deliver the world’s most advanced mobile chips was already underway, and it seems TSMC is the favorite choice, leaving behind Samsung and Intel.

According to the latest report by the folks over at the Financial Times, TSMC is leading the 2nm chip race and may even release the technology as soon as 2025, potentially for Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

We may see the first 2nm chips from TSMC on Apple iPhone 17 Pro

The details come from anonymous sources close to the matter, who spoke to the Financial Times about the progress of TSMC’s 2nm journey. 

Apparently, the company has provided a demo of its “N2” prototypes to major customers like Apple and NVIDIA. TSMC told the outlet, 

“The N2 chips are progressing well and on track for volume production in 2025, and will be the most advanced semiconductor technology in the industry in both density and energy when it is introduced.”

Meanwhile, Samsung is offering price cuts for its 2nm prototypes to sway customers. 

While a price cut may be lucrative to the customers, we are not sure if it’s enough to make customers change sides. There’s also a lingering doubt about Samsung’s ability to produce such advanced chips at the moment, which doesn’t help the company at all. 

The Korean company was the first to introduce the 3nm chips, but the yield rate of the chips has stayed lower than expected. 

Meanwhile, TSMC has had an easier time operating at the 3nm scale. According to Dalton Investments analyst James Lim, 2nm chips are a crucial part of Samsung’s strategy, but “people are still doubtful it can execute the migration better than TSMC.”

TSMC plans to start the mass production of the N2 chips by 2025 and will likely launch a mobile version first. 

And if TSMC’s launch is early enough, Apple could use these new 2nm chips on its iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in 2025. 

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