The Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, expected to be released in September, will probably be the only smartphones launched this year by a major phone manufacturer powered by an SoC produced using a 3nm process node. While TSMC and Samsung Foundry can ship 3nm chips, with a $20,000 price tag for each wafer used for 3nm production, many manufacturers are waiting until wafer prices decline, possibly as soon as next year, before placing orders for 3nm silicon.
Slide produced by TSMC compares its 2nm process node with its enhanced 3nm node
For TSMC, its 2nm process node will launch its Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors which allow the gate to contact the channel on all sides reducing leaks and increasing the drive current. Unlike the current FinFET transistors used by TSMC, which cover only three of the four sides of the gate, GAA transistors use vertically placed nanosheets. Samsung Foundry already uses GAA transistors for its 3nm production while TSMC is sticking with FinFET until it starts manufacturing 2nm chips.
