A16 Bionic Chip in iPhone 14 Reportedly Set to Be Based on '4nm' Process [Updated]

The chip powering the next-generation iPhone will reportedly be based on a "4nm" process, an even smaller process compared to the 5nm process used in the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and iPhone 13 lineups, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming report from DigiTimes.

m1 4nm feature2
Last year, Apple adopted a 5nm process with the A14 Bionic chip in the latest iPad Air and the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. With the ‌iPhone 13‌, it used an enhanced iteration of the 5nm process. For the iPhone 14, the report claims Apple and its chipmaking partner TSMC are looking to adopt a "4nm" process for the A16 Bionic, the likely name for the chip powering the next-generation ‌iPhone‌.

A smaller process reduces a chip's physical footprint and offers improved performance and enhanced energy efficiency. A report yesterday by The Information claimed that TSMC and Apple are facing technical challenges in producing a 3nm chip, possibly being a reason the ‌iPhone 14‌ will feature a "4nm" process instead.

Separate reports from earlier in the year have suggested that Apple has booked all of TSMC's production capacity for the ‌3nm‌ process, which could instead debut in the iPhone 15 and next-generation Apple silicon Mac computers in several years.

With the ‌iPhone 13‌ and ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro already released, we now await what Apple has in store for the ‌iPhone 14‌. While we're still a little under a year away from its launch, rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone 14‌ will feature one of the most significant ‌iPhone‌ redesigns of the past several years. Get caught up on the latest rumors about Apple's next-generation ‌iPhone‌ using our roundup.

Update: While the ‌DigiTimes‌ report said "Apple will likely adopt TSMC's 4nm process," TSMC refers to the process as "N4P" and describes it as a "third major enhancement of TSMC's 5nm family."

Related Roundup: iPhone 14
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

slplss Avatar
36 months ago
Getting closer to 0nm.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cihag Avatar
36 months ago

rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 will feature one of the most significant iPhone redesigns of the past several years.
Hmm, back to curves instead of flat edges, I guess?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamjackson Avatar
36 months ago
A4 was 45nm from 45 to 4 in 12 years. or 45 to 5 in 10. Freaking remarkable.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jjswan33 Avatar
36 months ago
Hate to burst everyone's bubble but there is nothing on these chips that is actually 4nm in dimensions just like the current 5-6-7nm processes that every chip manufacturer is making. It's all a historical node naming convention.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTemple Avatar
36 months ago
4nm is a bit less than 20 silicon atoms wide (counting bonds/etc). Wild.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WWPD Avatar
36 months ago

What happens next? 1nm and then what?
Bio-neural gel packs.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)