Apple’s chipset maker confirms iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic won’t be based on 3nm process

Although it has already been rumoured before that this year’s iPhone series, tipped as iPhone 13, will feature A15 Bionic that will be based on the same 5nm process as the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic chipset, a new report has now re-confirmed the fact. The information comes directly via TSMC’s quarterly results. TSMC is the main chipset provider for the iPhone’s A-series processors.

As reported by Phonearena, TSMC rubbished the rumours of the A15 chipset being made using a 3nm process, during the quarterly result. This means that iPhone 13 models won’t be a major upgrade in terms of performance and efficiency as it will have the 5nm chipset. However, there will definitely be some tweaks and improvements that make it snappier.

TSMC has also confirmed that it won’t begin the mass production of its 3nm chipsets until the second half of 2022. In case you are unaware, Apple too launches its iPhones by the end of Q3 or early Q4 every year.

"We expect it [3nm] to be a big and long-lasting node," said TSMC during the Q&A session.

The 3nm chipset, which is now probably coming in iPhone 14 models, is said to have a smaller footprint while offering 11% performance increase along with increased power efficiency as it will take 27% less power as compared to 5nm chipset.

As per a recent report by Digitimes, Apple A15 Bionic chipsets will be entering into production by May this year. It is also rumoured that Apple’s A15 Bionic processor might not be limited to iPhone 13 5G series, but may also be included in rumored mini-LED iPad Air (2021). For what’s worth, the iPad model, which came just before the iPhone 12, uses A14 Bionic.