Independent tech journalistTim Culpan reportsthat Apple is now in early production of A16 chip at TSMC ’s raw Arizona works .
The A16 is construct on an advanced 5 nm process ( some call it 4 nm ) that TSMC calls N4P. This is say to be the same process used at TSMC ’s plant in Taiwan , and the Arizona plant apparently has payoff ( the percentage of well , operable chips per silicon wafer ) that are only a little behind the Taiwan plant . The process is being refined , and production parity will belike be accomplish by the time the plant goes into full - mass output ahead of time in 2025 .
The A16 was the chip used in the iPhone 14 Pro and the regular iPhone 15 , which Apple still manufactures and sells .
It ’s not open where Apple will employ the A16 chips manufactured at TSMC ’s Arizona plant . It would be appropriate for the seventh - gen iPad mini , 11th - gen iPad , or as an upgrade to the Apple TV 4K. It could also wind up in next year ’s iPhone SE . Any products that are let go of this year are unlikely to use the chips from the Arizona plant life , but instead swear primarily on chips from TSMC ’s Taiwan plant , perhaps supplementing or replace the supply with chips from the Arizona flora early next year .
While the primary Si for these A16 - powered equipment may be made in Arizona , Apple has not charge to last gathering of iPhones , iPads , or Apple TVs in the United States . Almost all Apple merchandise are manufacture by Foxconn and Pegatron in locations such as China , India , and Taiwan , out of contribution source from all over the world .