In the past year 2023, we have seen how Apple has completely redesigned its range of MacBook Pro and iMac. To these is added the current generation of processors: the Apple Silicon M3, in its three base variants, Pro and Max. However, despite the benefits of these chips, Californians are already working on the next generation: 2 nanometer processors.
It was the English-speaking news outlet MacRumors who reported the news. What has happened is that, thanks to a LinkedIn post, it has been discovered that the apple company already has its sights set on two-nanometer processors. But why is this important?
As technology advances, it also miniaturizes. In the case of processors, nanometers are the measurement scale of their internal components. For practical purposes, and not to get too involved, the smaller these components are, the more power capacity in a small space and the more energy efficiency.
We have already been able to verify this with the first three generations of Apple Silicon: M1, M2 and M3, the latter being the first to have the three-nanometer architecture. Now, Apple is planning the next hit on the table.
Leaked Apple employee on Linkedin
According to what they share from MacRumors, an Apple employee would have put on his LinkedIn profile that is already working on the design of 2 nanometer processors, supported by TSMC. Apple is a company that is not alone, and TSMC is the one who materializes Apple’s industrial designs in processors.
What he has written, literally, is the following: “TS5nm, TS3nm, working on TS2nm.” “TS” being the TSCM company and the numbers, the nanometers of the processors. Therefore, we are in a new scenario, in which Apple is already designing the next generation of chips.
However, there is still another goal on the roadmap: making computer chips even smaller, and less than two nanometers. In fact, from the same medium they also share information about the rumors that haunt TSMC, regarding 1.4 nanometer processors.
In this way, much higher levels would be reached. Both in power and in performance and energy efficiency. The future of computer internal components involves obtaining the maximum power capacity, in exchange for spending the minimum amount of energy possible. And TSMC, being a processor manufacturer, would already be working on them.
What is speculated is that, apart from 1.4 nanometers, «Apple would be the first company to receive future TSMC processors built in 2 nanometers«, as explained in MacRumors. So Californians would have an advantage over their competitors in the industry. Now, questions remain up in the air as to which will be the first Apple products to mount these chips. Or, when will the launch date of these proprietary fourth-generation processors be?
What is clear is that the kitchen of ideas is already in operation. And we can only wait to see when these advances will materialize.