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 Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...

Top Rated Comments

slplss Avatar
46 months ago
Getting closer to 0nm.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cihag Avatar
46 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
46 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
46 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
46 months ago
4nm is a bit less than 20 silicon atoms wide (counting bonds/etc). Wild.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WWPD Avatar
46 months ago

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