Apple chipmaker may be prepping 80 million A14 chips for iPhone 12 debut

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Apple chipmaker racing ahead with its next next-gen nanometer process
The A14 could be a game-changer for Apple.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple chipmaker TSMC is reportedly preparing 80 million A14 chips for the next-gen iPhone 12, claims regular Apple leaker l0vetodream.

Interestingly, this follows a recent report suggesting that certain iPhone orders have been cut in half. If accurate, it suggests that Apple has some very high hopes for the iPhone 12.

TSMC is reportedly making the A14 chip using its 5-nanometer process. This will be one of the first 5nm mobile devices, allowing Apple to pack more transistors onto the chips by reducing the size between them. That should lead to a sizable performance boost. In the process it could be a similar jump to 2018’s A12 Bionic chip. That was among the first phones to pack mobile chips made using the 7-nanometer process. The A12 chip was singled out as being Apple’s biggest feat of 2018.

L0vetodream claims that TSMC will make 80 million A14 chips this year. Apple doesn’t release exact breakdowns for each iPhone model. That makes it difficult to say exactly how this compares to last year’s orders. But it certainly indicates that analyst fears about a lack of early 5G handset demand could be overblown.

Something else making this year’s iPhone refresh different is that it will reportedly offer four different iPhone models for the first time. In recent years, Apple has launched two or three new iPhone models in September. This year, Apple is launching four different models: with two size options each for the regular iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro. Presumably all four handsets will include the A14 chip.

Are you excited about this year’s iPhone refresh? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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