Many of this year’s flagship phones are powered by chipsets built on the 3nm process. This includes chipsets like the Apple A18 Pro and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. Building chips on the 3nm process is already pretty impressive. However, come 2028, TSMC will start building chips on the 1.4nm process.
TSMC’s new 1.4nm process
Unsurprisingly, these chips will place a heavy emphasis on AI. But that’s a good thing. According to TSMC, the power in these upcoming 1.4nm chips will allow for better on-board AI processing. This means that instead of sending requests to a remote server and waiting for it to respond, you can do it on your phone. This is great in terms of both efficiency and privacy.
According to TSMC, “Representing a significant advancement from TSMC’s industry-leading N2 process, A14 is designed to drive AI transformation forward by delivering faster computing and greater power efficiency. It is also expected to enhance smartphones by improving their on-board AI capabilities, making them even smarter.”
TSMC doesn’t name who will use its new 1.4nm process, but it’s almost a guarantee that Apple will be one of them. The company has typically been the first to adopt TSMC’s latest processes for its iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. In fact, in 2026, Apple’s 18 iPhone models are rumored to be powered by TSMC’s 2nm process.
What are chip processes?
So, what is this “process” you keep hearing about? Basically, the smaller the process, the more transistor-dense these chips are. This means that the transistors are closer to each other, reducing the amount of time and distance that electrical signals travel.
Ultimately, this means that chips built on a smaller process are faster and more efficient, making them both powerful but still battery-friendly. However, this doesn’t mean that chips built on older processes are bad. There is still plenty of use for older processes like 6nm or 7nm.
This includes using it for products that don’t necessarily need the power or efficiency. It also helps to lower costs, which is perfect for mid-range or budget handsets.
TSMC’s announcement also puts the company ahead of its rival, Samsung, once again. While Samsung was the first to announce plans for 2nm chips, its initial yields weren’t that great, allowing TSMC to get in front of them.
2025-04-26 15:08:19