There’s a big battle shaping up on the earth of semiconductors as cutting-edge foundries begin mass-producing chips utilizing the 2nm course of node subsequent yr. This coincides with the third yr of 3nm manufacturing. The primary smartphones powered by a 3nm chip have been the
iPhone 15 Professional and
iPhone 15 Professional Max each of which have been geared up with the A17 Professional software processor (AP) constructed on TSMC’s OG 3nm node (N3B).
TSMC’s third-generation 3nm node might be used to construct Apple’s A19 collection software processors for subsequent yr
TSMC’s second-gen 3nm node (N3E) is used to fabricate the A18 and A18 Professional APs used to energy the
iPhone 16 collection. Regardless of earlier rumors about TSMC constructing the A19 collection APs utilizing its 2nm node, the chips for subsequent yr’s
iPhone 17 line might be manufactured by TSMC utilizing its third-generation 3nm course of node (N3P).
Apple may need been trying to avoid wasting cash by ready till 2026’s iPhone 18 collection to make use of the 2nm node for its A20 and A20 Professional APs. The worth of silicon wafers used to fabricate chips utilizing a brand new course of node is often increased throughout that node’s first-year of use.
The iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max (pictured) have been the primary telephones powered by a 3nm chipset. | Picture credit-Apple
The world’s largest contract foundry, TSMC, is already filling up its “dance card” at 2nm. Moreover having Apple, its largest buyer, all signed up for 2nm manufacturing in 2026, TSMC purchasers resembling HPC (Excessive-Efficiency Computing) producers, AI, chipmakers, and cell chipmakers are all in. This has given the Taiwan-based foundry a lead over Intel and Samsung Foundry in relation to 2nm orders. Moreover Apple, different notable companies which have indicated a need to hop aboard TSMC’s 2nm practice embrace AMD, Nvidia, MediaTek, and Qualcomm.
Samsung Foundry has been having points over the previous few years with its yield at 4nm, 3nm, and 2nm. The yield measures the share of chips produced from a silicon wafer that passes high quality management and can be utilized to energy a tool. Samsung Foundry’s 4nm yield was so unhealthy when producing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for Qualcomm that the U.S.-based fabless chip designer dropped it for TSMC. The latter constructed the alternative Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 AP. Finally, Samsung Foundry did enhance its yield to 70% at 4nm.
Nonetheless,
the foundry continues to have yield issues at 3nm which have reportedly led to a delay within the manufacturing of the 3nm Exynos 2500 AP. Consequently, Samsung may need to shell out the extra money wanted to equip all
Galaxy S25 collection telephones with the dearer Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC as an alternative of its in-house Exynos 2500. Low yields add to the price of a chip since extra silicon wafers are wanted to construct sufficient chips to satisfy an order.
GAA permits for higher management over the drive present, and reduces present leaks. This results in the manufacturing of extra highly effective and vitality environment friendly chips.
Intel nonetheless is within the sport however is engulfed in chaos
Returning to Japan’s Rapidus, the corporate plans to give attention to small orders and customized chips. It will not begin out targeted on reaching profitability with bigger orders of mass-produced chips. In the meantime, Intel’s contract foundry enterprise was a serious a part of the U.S. chipmaker’s try to show itself round. However
that was ex-CEO Pat Gelsinger’s plan and in 2021 he stated that Intel would take course of management from TSMC and Samsung Foundry by 2025 with its 18A (1.8nm) node.
However Gelsinger resigned on December 1st and whereas the corporate nonetheless expects to provide 1.8nm chips subsequent yr, chaos nonetheless reigns at Intel as no everlasting alternative for Gelsinger has been named. Up to now, AWS (Amazon Internet Service) is the one high-profile title to join Intel’s A18 course of node.
Contemplating the pedigree of its consumer record, if one needed to choose which foundry will win the 2nm battle, TSMC can be my choice.
