14 DAY TRIAL // iPhone 7 hasn’t even launched, and people are already talking about the iPhone 8, which, if the same release schedule is maintained, should be here in 2018.
According to a report coming via The Register (via AI), TSMC, which is currently one of the two chip manufacturers for Apple’s iPhone, is negotiating a new deal with a partner. This could eventually allow the company to start production of 7-nanometer processors that could end up being used on iPhone and iPads launched in 2018.
This means the iPhone 8 could be the first model to come with such a feature, as the iPhone 7 debuts this year while the iPhone 7s is expected to see daylight next year.
Next model to feature the same 16nm chip
While neither Apple nor TSMC has offered any indication that the switch to 7nm chips is indeed possible, it’s not a surprise that the chip manufacturer is trying to make the move to this new technology. Moreover, analysts expect this configuration to be used on more than smartphones and tablets, given their improvements in power consumption and performance.
The next-generation iPhone, reportedly coming in September this year, is expected to sport the same chip as the current model - the iPhone 6 uses 14nm and 16nm processor, depending on the company building them (Apple is working with both TSMC and Samsung for the existing model, but rumor has it that Samsung might be out for the next version).
The iPhone 8 could also be the first model to come with an OLED display, as Apple is working to finally give up on the LCD screen. People close to the matter suggested that the transition could be made even sooner, but it’s very unlikely for the iPhone 7s to come with such a screen, though.
TSMC previously said that production of 7nm chips would begin in 2017, but the company needs to adjust production levels in order to cope with the high demand that Apple is expecting for its upcoming iPhone models.