After the release of the iPhone 13, rumors have it that the next iPhone, which probably will be the iPhone 14, will have an entirely new design, including a punch-hole display and supersized budget model. However, the news leak for the iPhone 14 release was less shocking than a secret twist which changed the plan for what would have been the biggest upgrade for the company.
Among the leaked news, supply chain experts, DigiTimes, and an authentic tech company, The leaked news about iPhone 14 release revealed that Apple wanted to change the game by using three nanometers (3nm) fabrication, a revolutionary process of silicon semiconductor chips which would have improved the speed and power consumption.
However, Apple’s chip supplier, TSMC’s statement, came as a shock to the iPhone fans as it explained the root cause for the cancellation of the upgrade plan. If this plan was executed well, it would have potentially changed the game and raised the bar for competitors.
“The upshot of TSMC’s struggles is that the iPhone’s processor will be stuck on the same chip manufacturing process for three consecutive years, including next year, for the first time in its history, this could, in turn, cause some customers to put off upgrading their devices for another year and give Apple’s competitors a bit more time to catch up.” The Information revealed.
While conforming with the statement, DigiTimes added, “Apple will use “N4P” — an enhanced version of the existing 5nm fabrication process used since the iPhone 12 — for all its major 2022 mobile devices”.
What’s the deal with the 3nm chip?
Apart from the fact that Apple would be the first tech firm to use the 3nm technology, which is the next “die shrink” after the 5nm, the top reason is performance efficiency. A direct jump from 5nm to 3nm represents improved performance as more chips can be fixed into the same physical space.
Moreover, the die shrinking process reduces the power consumption by each transistor to increase the battery efficiency. And since the silicon wafer production is based on the number of steps required for fabrication rather than the number of chips incorporated on it, you can add more chips in the same space as the predecessors. Hence, from performance to price, everything improves.
And once you get on the route of making big improvements, especially in these areas, you get the gateway to make more powerful and efficient designs and features for the next models. This is due to the relaxation in the cost, size, and thermal limitations you previously faced.
At the moment, the amount of loss for scraping the 3nm manufacturing process from Apple’s iPhone 14 is unknown. However, the upcoming iPhone 14 release will startle the buyers with much bigger camera sensors, an entirely new external design, and a dramatically reduced size face ID feature incorporated into the new iPhone.
With no major advancement, will Apple’s sales margin slip? Well, it’s possible, but Apple has already prepared a combat strategy. The super-sized budget-friendly trick will surely work for them.