The iPhone 20 could be the first to use TSMC's new A14 process node (1.4nm) announced today

The process node used to manufacture chips is an important number. That is because as the number shrinks, it means that the size of the transistors used in a chip get smaller. The smaller the transistors employed, the larger the number that can fit into a small integrated circuit. The higher a chip's transistor count, the more powerful and energy-efficient that chip is. Usually every two to three years a lower process node is prepped by leading foundries.

For example, TSMC and Samsung Foundry were expected to start mass production of chips made using their 2nm process nodes later this year. For TSMC, it will debut its Gate-all-around (GAA) transistor that covers the channel on all four sides to reduce voltage leakage and improve the drive current. This will result in chips offering higher performance using less energy.

To show you the progression of TSMC's process node, let's take a journey down memory lane.

Keep in mind that the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models started using different chips than the non-Pro models in 2024 with the iPhone 14 line.

Today, TSMC announced at its North America Technology Symposium that after 2nm, its next advanced process technology will be A14 (or 14 Angstrom) which will be equivalent to 1.4nm. Production at that process node will start in 2028 and the development of A14 is ahead of schedule according to the foundry.

TSMC says that A14 will show a 15% speed improvement at the same power level compared to the N2 process node, or a 30% decrease in power consumption at the same speed.