Your future smartphone just got a major performance and battery boost

By Kunal Khullar Published May 6, 2025

Taiwan Semiconductor — Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC), Fab 5 building, Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan Peellden / Wikimedia

TSMC is making major strides toward its next-generation 2nm process node and industry demand is already exceeding expectations. Although mass production isn’t slated to begin until late 2025, a report from Taiwanese outlet Ctee reveals that chipmakers like Apple, Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Broadcom are already lining up for early access, signaling just how crucial this technology will be to future devices.

Rumors suggest that Apple has plans to adopt 2nm chips for its iPhone 18 lineup in 2026, while Nvidia is approaching the transition more conservatively as its next-gen platform is expected to remain on the 3nm node.

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What makes the 2nm node unique is the use of Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor architecture, a departure from the FinFET design that has been the industry standard for multiple chip generations. GAA is said to offer better control of current flow and leakages which results in 15% higher performance and 30% lower power consumption.

The company has reportedly entered trial production for its 2nm process at its fabrication plant in Baoshan, Hsinchu, with mass production set for Q4 2025 and an initial monthly output of 30,000 wafers. Another fabrication facility in Kaohsiung is expected to start mass production in Q1 2026 with the same monthly capacity. By 2027, TSMC plans to ramp total 2nm output across its two sites to 120,000–130,000 wafers per month, potentially reaching 50,000 by end of 2025 and 80,000 if scaling progresses smoothly.

TSMC is also accelerating expansion at four fabs in Baoshan and three in Nanzi, Kaohsiung, with an investment of over NT$1.5 trillion (approximately USD 50 billion) to build the world’s largest semiconductor hub. While in the U.S., TSMC’s facility in Arizona will introduce 2nm and future 1.6nm (A16) processes by 2028.

The strong early demand suggests that 2nm chips could dominate premium-tier devices starting in late 2025 and beyond. While it may take time for the technology to filter into mid-range products, consumers can expect major gains in performance and efficiency from devices powered by 2nm silicon.

Former Computing Writer

Kunal Khullar is a computing writer at Digital Trends who contributes to various topics, including CPUs, GPUs, monitors, and…

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