Somehow it seems that prices for future Apple devices are rising. If not because of customs, a new report claims it will be because of the cost of the chips running the devices.
According to a Digital Chat Station about Weibo, Apple will definitely use the TSMCS 2NM process “in its chips next year. It is exciting for buyers who want the latest and best technique, but not for the price tag. The 2NM process is reportedly much more expensive than 3nm, which means prices may go up.
It is reported that the cost of a 2nm slice is $ 30,000 against $ 18,000 for 3nm chips.
Last December, the TSMC set the goal of mass -producing 2NM chip in 2025, and then a month later the TSMC processed the process to Apple and other companies. Apple tends to adopt TSMC’s new processes early, but 2NM chips are not expected in the iPhone and Mac until next year, which may give Apple some time to find out other ways to absorb costs other than by passing it to the customer. It is also possible that, when these products go into production, TSMC will have lowered costs due to increased production.
The second option is that Apple decides to stick to the second generation of the 3NM process for another chip generation. This may mean that the performance progress we usually see from one chip generation to another (which is about 15 to 25 percent) could be less. The 2NM process not only allows for multiple transistors, these transistors switch from fine-field power transistors (Finfet) to gate-all-round field power transistors (GAAFET), which allows for improving performance with better effect.
The nanometer process refers to the production of chip, and 2nm enables increased transistor density during the previous 3nm and 5nm processes. The higher the transistor density, the better the benefit and the process can also result in better effect efficiency. Apple’s M4 and A18 Pro chips are made using TSMC’s second generation of the 3NM process, and it was expected that the M6 ​​and A20 Pro would be the first 2nm chips in Mac and iPhone respectively in 2026.
Apple is not the only company that needs to find out what to do with the TSMCS 2NM process. The WCCTech report says that Qualcomm and Medatek are also interested in 2nm, but can look in other ways of equalizing costs.