Production of Apple’s A14X processor, the chip that will power Apple’s first Apple Silicon Macs and the next-generation iPad Pro, is on schedule to enter production in the fourth quarter of 2020, says DigiTimes.
Apple will kick off its 5nm wafer starts at TSMC for its new Apple Silicon processors starting the fourth quarter of 2020, with monthly output estimated at 5,000-6,000 wafers, according to industry sources.
Apple is gearing up for the upcoming launch of its new-generation MacBook and iPad Pro series powered by its self-designed Arm-based processors, which will be fabricated using TSMC’s 5nm EUV process technology, the sources indicated.
TSMC will use its new 5nm node technology, in which it made a $25 billion investment in last year in a bid to remain the exclusive processor supplier of Apple’s processors.
The China Times reported earlier this year that Apple’s first ARM-based Mac will boast an A14X processor, which is codenamed “Tonga” and manufactured by TSMC. The new laptop, which is said to weigh less than 1 kilogram, will have a battery life of 15 to 20 hours.
The A14X is also set to be used in the next-generation iPad Pro and will go into production by the end of the year, said the DigiTimes report.
Apple is reportedly working on at least three Mac processors that are based on the 5-nanometer A14 chip that will be used in the upcoming iPhone 12 models. The China Times report also said the first Apple-designed A14X processor has been finalized and mass production using TSMC’s 5-nanometer process will begin by the end of the year.
The first Apple Silicon processors are expected to boast 12 cores, including eight high-performance cores and at least four energy-efficient cores. The company is reportedly exploring Mac processors with more than 12 cores for the future and is said to be already designing a second generation of Mac processors to be based on the A15 chip.
