3nm era begins for TSMC, Apple, Intel, and more

Apple and Intel will be the first to win the favor of next generation chip production technology from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC).

Nikkei Asia today reported that Apple and Intel are testing designs for 3nm production technology and that an iPad could be the first device to run the next-gen chip in 2022:

• “Apple and Intel are testing their chip designs with TSMC’s 3-nanometer production technology […] Commercial production of such chips is expected to begin in the second half of next year. “
• “According to TSMC, 3nm technology can increase computing power by 10 to 15% compared to 5nm and at the same time reduce power consumption by 25 to 30%.”
• (Not a word on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon designs, by the way.)

For Apple:

• “Apple’s iPad will likely be the first device powered by processors made with 3nm technology, sources said. The next generation of iPhones, which should come onto the market next year, will probably use the between 4 nm technology for reasons of time. “

For Intel:

• “Intel, America’s largest chip maker, is working with TSMC on at least two 3-nm projects to develop central processing units for notebooks and data center servers in order to regain market share that it has lost to Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia in recent years.”

What is that supposed to mean?

• To keep it simple: The nanometer reference once described the length of a transistor gate.
• This is a useful metric because the smaller the gate, the smaller the transistors, which means the entire chip design can shrink. This shrinkage allows for more transistors, which means more computations can be made on a chip area, resulting in more performance.
• And there are also advantages in terms of power consumption: Despite the increasing number of transistors, smaller components require less energy to function, which improves efficiency. Obviously, this is very useful for battery operated devices like smartphones and tablets and laptops.
• There’s a nice in-depth post below SemiWiki this explains why Intel’s branding for its own node production contains more transistors than TSMC in its foundries. What Intel calls its 7nm process seems to correspond to TSMC’s 4nm process. Intel’s 5nm node will be roughly the same as TSMC’s 2.4nm node.
• The problem is that Intel can’t downsize its process as quickly as TSMC can. Although the densities are good, it gets stuck with older processes.

Why does legendary chip maker Intel pay TSMC?

• The problem plaguing Intel is that it has been much slower than TSMC in shrinking its processes, and its chips actually come with next-generation shrinks.
• It has plans, and new CEO Pat Gelsinger wants Intel to get more aggressive. However, the 11th generation CPUs announced in recent months are still based on a 14nm process that was first used in 2014.
• And while process improvements occur even at the same process size, Intel pays TSMC for the reason that the Taiwanese company can make smaller, more competitive chips.
• Intel can’t right now, but it hopes to catch up by the middle of the decade.

📦 US pre-orders for the Sony Xperia 1 III with bonus earbuds are possible, but shipping won’t start until August 19th (Android authority).

📁 The latest Galaxy Z Fold 3 leak spills camera specs very similar to the Fold 2 and can do without 8K footage (Android authority).

👉 Your PC may not support Windows 11, but the OnePlus 6T does (somehow) (Android authority).

🤔 Why did Microsoft choose Amazon over Google to support Windows 11 Android? (Android authority).

🍏 Apple launches public beta of macOS Monterey and brings updates for FaceTime and Safari (The edge).

🍎 The 16-inch MacBook Pro rumors are back: Redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in September? (MacRumors).

🎶 Longer TikTok videos come to everyone: All users can now record and shape clips up to three minutes long, ending the app’s current 60-second clip identity (Engage).

💰 Robinhood is going public and people are very excited (TechCrunch) to uncover all of the information and trades revealed on the S-1, including the amount of Dogecoin traded on the app (SEK). It will act as a “HOOD” when listed.

🚀 Sir Richard Branson, always the promoter, will attempt to go into space on July 11th, apparently to rush Jeff Bezos and his space plans for July 20th. But are they rushing things? And Bezos could argue that Branson will not really make it into “space”, once largely agreed to be the Kármán line 100 km above the earth, but now a little more flexible. In any case, it’s about billionaire-versus-billionaire stuff for now, but in theory, it’s all about space tourism for all of us (Ars-Technica).

😬 Watch a cop admits playing Taylor Swift to keep a video off YouTube for exploiting copyright law (The edge).

America’s trillion-dollar concrete bill is due (Axios).

🔓 Russian military hackers were on a worldwide password-guessing tour (Gizmodo).

🍵 “ELI5: Why do we use leaves from some plants (with tea or mate) when making a caffeinated drink, but we use berries for coffee? Why not coffee leaves or tea berries? Is it the best way to get the most caffeine / flavor in each case, or is it just historical? ”(R / askreddit).

What’s up with the Seinfeld soundtrack coming out today?

diversity declares that an album of 33 tracks will be released on “all digital platforms” and of course will feature the iconic slap bass synth pop sounds from Jerry Seinfeld’s opening monologue.

But there are a number of other melodies from the 180 episodes as well, including jazz that was composed but not used when a scene was cut.

Also, why Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy pieces had music in the first place:

• Jerry reportedly wanted accompaniment for the opening and closing stand-up and didn’t like the music in the pilot episode.
• Jonathan Wolff was found by a friend of Jerry’s and became Seinfeld’s composer.
• However, not everyone liked the slap bass:
• “NBC executives called it” weird, distracting and annoying, “notes Wolff, but co-creator and producer Larry David refused to change it even after Wolff offered to find a new musical direction. “Larry was deeply offended and didn’t change anything,” says the composer. “
• Classic Larry David!

Have a fun weekend

Tristan Rayner, Managing Editor.