It was previously reported that Apple will use TSMC’s next-gen 2nm chip technology for the 2025 iPhone 17 Pro lineup, and it does make sense for the company to embark on a new architecture, as the supply chain has been pretty active. However, a leaker claims that news regarding the 2nm chips on the iPhone 17 Pro is “fake,” and the source has a credible track record when it comes to sharing Apple details.
Apple leaker claims the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a 3nm chip instead of 2nm, while multiple reports point to an accelerating production of the new technology for better yields
According to the leaker “Phone Chip Expert” on Weibo, Apple’s forthcoming 2nm chips will go into production by the end of 2025, which means that the chips will not be ready by the time Apple announces the iPhone 17 Pro models. The source is quite credible as it claims that he has over 25 years of experience in the field, including his work on Intel Pentium processors. If the news has any heft to it, it means that the iPhone 17 Pro models will forgo 2nm technology in favor of 3nm chips, which will be the same as the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro models.
According to the translation of the post on Weibo, the leaker claims that the iPhone 17 can not catch up to the production of the 2nm chips and that the chips will only be ready when Apple announces the iPhone 18 lineup in 2026.
The source claims that “anyone who has seen the capacity planning chart will know that this is yet another report from an unscrupulous media outlet,” citing the article by Zhitong Finance. As we mentioned earlier, there have been multiple reports out of Taiwan in the past stating that TSMC is accelerating the 2nm chip production and testing the processes in advance to secure stable yields of the chips.
Apple typically upgrades its chip technology after two years, and if the news holds any credibility, we might see Apple jumping on the 2nm technology from a 3nm process after three years. Apple secures TSMC’s orders in advance, and the company will potentially be the supplier’s main client for 2nm chips as well. 2nm chips will be significantly faster than 3nm chips, and we are expecting up to 15 percent gains in performance with up to 30 percent less power consumption.
The 2nm chips will be built on TSMC’s N2 process, while the upcoming A18 Pro chips will be built on the supplier’s N3E process with a 3nm node. The upcoming chip will have a better yield, which means that it will be comparatively cheaper than the first generation of the 3nm chip. We will keep you guys updated on the latest, so be sure to stick around for more in-depth details regarding the chip. Do you think the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a 2nm chip or a 3nm chip?