Reports indicate that Apple has adjusted the performance targets for the A17 Bionic processor, a change tied to TSMC’s ongoing 3nm production challenges. The development could influence not only upcoming iPhone models, but also future Macs that would run on the M3 family, according to coverage from The Wccftech portal and the Revegnus insider briefings.
As described by Revegnus, Apple remains TSMC’s principal customer for the 3nm process, and manufacturing hurdles persist on the Taiwanese foundry’s line. Earlier, the same source highlighted potential outcomes of the A17 Bionic’s single-core and multi-core benchmarks, which had shown a striking leap in performance. Now, Revegnus contends that Apple will scale back the new chips’ power to address efficiency and thermal needs.
Industry chatter suggests Apple may have struggled to strike a balance between peak power and heat management for the A17 Bionic. That challenge could extend to the anticipated 3nm M3 chip, which would power future Macs and face similar constraints. The prevailing view is that Apple might trade some performance for better energy efficiency and cooler operation in daily use.
The absence of a promised performance uptick at the 3nm node was noted by TSMC during the announcement of the production facility, with emphasis instead on the potential for up to a 35 percent gain in efficiency at the same clock speeds. This context aligns with the broader expectation that next-generation Apple silicon will prioritize sustained efficiency alongside capability.
Mass production of the A17 Bionic chips is anticipated to begin after the second half of 2023, signaling a cautious rollout aligned with supply conditions and design goals in both smartphones and computer workloads.
Meanwhile, chatter from social media and tech sites referenced a potential new iPhone 15 Pro image featuring touch controls circulating online, a signal that Apple continues to explore hardware refinements alongside core silicon improvements.