A recent report claims that Apple’s 5-nanometer-based A14X processor, which is designed for the first Silicon Mac and the next-generation iPad Pro, will enter mass production in the fourth quarter of this year.
Designed to bring innovation, improved performance, and uniform design across all devices, the Cupertino tech giant announced the transition from Intel chips to Apple Silicon at its online World Wide Developers Conference in June, this year.
Apple’s A14X chip to Enter Mass Production in Q4 2020
Apple’s main chip supplier TSMC will reportedly begin mass production of the 5nm chips in Q4 of 2020. Monthly output of 5000-6000 chips is expected, reports DigiTimes.
The reports states:
“Apple will kick off its 5nm wafer starts at TSMC for its new Apple Silicon processors starting the fourth quarter of 2020, with monthly output estimated at 5,000-6,000 wafers, according to industry sources.
Apple is gearing up for the upcoming launch of its new-generation MacBook and iPad Pro series powered by its self-designed Arm-based processors, which will be fabricated using TSMC’s 5nm EUV process technology, the sources indicated.”
A report late last month from The China Times claimed that the first Silicon Mac to use TSMC’s 5nm process will launch by the end of the year in the form of a super-lightweight 12-inch MacBook with a battery life of between 15 and 20 hours.
According to the Chinese report’s sources, the 12-inch MacBook will use the A14X processor, which is based on the 5-nanometer A14 chip that will be used in the upcoming iPhone 12 models. Codenamed “Tonga,” the new processer is also set to be used in the next-generation iPad Pro and will go into production by the end of the year, the report said.
However, these reports contradict information of renowned tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who stated that a new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro will be the first ARM-based Mac.
The Cupertino tech giant is rumored to be planning to release a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display supplied by Innolux in the first half of 2021. Apple was originally planning on launching the device in the fall of 2020 but was unable to meet that deadline due to the global health crisis. Trial production on the new iPad Pro reportedly began in June.
The company announced at its WWDC developer conference in June that its Macs will transition from Intel x86-based CPUs to its self-designed Arm-based Silicon processors over the next two years. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously stated that the first Silicon Macs will ship before the end of 2020.
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