Apple will order chip supplier TSMC to begin production of the A15 Bionic processor in May, according to a new report from Digitimes. Production of the iPhone 13 (2021), which will use the A15 chip, is reportedly on track, indicating a September launch and lining up with this rumour.
Although Apple is set to use an “enhanced process for manufacturing the A15, it will not move to a smaller fabrication size. It introduced the the 7-nanometer size with the A12, and used the same for the A13, but moved to 5-nanometer with the A14.
Apple Silicon, the M1 chip, is the first desktop processor to be based on the 5-nanometer process, while the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12 and iPad Air also use the same process.
Apple has ordered capacity for 4-nanometer chips that will be used in the next-generation Macs, the report claims, although no solid timeframe on when the chips will launch is provided. TSMC will begin volume production in Q4 of 2021 which suggests Apple intends on releasing new iPhone and Mac chips in 2022.
Performance improvements with the A15 Bionic will mostly be based upon architectural changes with industry sources also claiming battery life on the iPhone 13 (2021) will be significantly better due to efficiency enhancements with the chip.
