Apple's next iPhones could be the first handsets to feature 7-nanometer chips

[midian182]

Apple’s new lineup of iPhones arrives this fall, and the Cupertino company’s supplier, TSMC, has already started mass production of the processors that will power these handsets. According to a report from Bloomberg, the chips could be the first to use a 7-nanometer design, which would see Apple beat rival smartphone makers in bringing the technology to market.

The successor to Apple’s A11 Bionic SoC will likely be called the A12. Thanks to the increase in transistor density, the chip should offer more power and efficiency despite its smaller size. Current flagship mobile processors such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 and the A11 Bionic are manufactured using a 10nm process.

While Apple might bring out the first smartphones to feature a 7nm design, its competitors won’t be far behind. Bloomberg reports that main rival Samsung said it will start 7nm chip production this year—they could make their debut in the Galaxy S10—while Qualcomm and Huawei are also in the race to release 7nm processors.

Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones this fall: an updated iPhone X, a Plus-size version, and a cheaper handset that comes with a 6.1-inch LCD screen.

All eyes might be on 7nm right now, but TSMC is already looking to the future. It reportedly hopes to roll out 5nm designs as early as the first half of 2020, and the company is planning to invest $13.5 billion on expanding its R&D center at the Hsinchu science park in Taiwan, where it hopes to begin 3nm mass production in 2021.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/74761-apple-next-iphones-could-first-handsets-feature-7.html

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

Who cares?

Stop making phones with a glass back. These things are already too easy to break to be carrying around you everywhere.

 

[Lounds]

Surely we're getting to the limitations of silicon soon.
Either dies are going to have to become bigger (more expensive) or a new technology material such a graphene better make an appearance otherwise technology will flat line by 2025.

 

[ChrisH1]

Surely we're getting to the limitations of silicon soon.
Either dies are going to have to become bigger (more expensive) or a new technology material such a graphene better make an appearance otherwise technology will flat line by 2025.

Or we could go retro and gasp-shock-horror start writing efficient code again that doesn't need 8 4.2Ghz cores and 64G of memory to create a memo ...

 

[JustIT]

Personally, I just don't get the draw for more power in phones at this point. For things like taking pictures, surfing the web, and listing to music, 95% of all cell phone users have MORE than enough power already. When will we take a step back and realize our cell phone addiction? And the environmental toll that constantly replacing perfectly fine devices with new devices wreaks on our environment? Is another processor upgrade really going to make a difference? What's the point in buying faster technology if we don't even know why we need it.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Just like a pissing contest now. Ooh my iCrap has got 7nm what has your Samesung got.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Personally, I just don't get the draw for more power in phones at this point. For things like taking pictures, surfing the web, and listing to music, 95% of all cell phone users have MORE than enough power already. When will we take a step back and realize our cell phone addiction? And the environmental toll that constantly replacing perfectly fine devices with new devices wreaks on our environment? Is another processor upgrade really going to make a difference? What's the point in buying faster technology if we don't even know why we need it.

Personally, I just don't get the draw for more power in phones at this point. For things like taking pictures, surfing the web, and listing to music, 95% of all cell phone users have MORE than enough power already. When will we take a step back and realize our cell phone addiction? And the environmental toll that constantly replacing perfectly fine devices with new devices wreaks on our environment? Is another processor upgrade really going to make a difference? What's the point in buying faster technology if we don't even know why we need it.

A die shrink isn’t just a performance boost. It’s usually an efficiency boost too. So it should help users achieve longer battery life. And I think we can all use that!