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Tag: Wayne Ma

  • Rumor: Apple is looking to add Starlink functionality to the iPhone 18 Pro, and is also in talks with SpaceX about a deal for the feature

    Rumor: Apple is looking to add Starlink functionality to the iPhone 18 Pro, and is also in talks with SpaceX about a deal for the feature

    Apple’s next-generation iPhone 18 Pro, which could see a hardware change, could feature satellite access, but it’s up in the air as to whether the satellite provider could be Starlink or SpaceX.

    Per Aaron Tilley and Wayne Ma of The Information, Apple may be planning to integrate Starlink functionality into the iPhone 18 Pro, even while the company is also in talks with SpaceX regarding the feature.

    SpaceX is reportedly supporting “the same radio spectrum Apple uses for the iPhone’s current satellite features” from Globalstar in new Starlink satellite designs. Apple currently relies on Globalstar satellites to power its Emergency SOS via satellite feature on iPhone 14 and newer, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3. This feature offers contact with emergency services as well as location sharing when outside of a traditional cellular network.

    It’s also been reported that Globalstar chair James Monroe has discussed a desire to sell the firm for $10 billion. “Such a deal could signal that Globalstar and Apple are seeking more independence from each other,” the report suggests.

    Per The Information’s report, “Apple plans to add support in upcoming iPhones as early as next year for 5G networks that aren’t tethered to Earth’s surface, which includes satellites.” As of December, SpaceX struck a deal with EchoStar to acquire $17 billion worth of spectrum that can be used for direct-to-cell satellite connectivity.

    There are a lot of irons in the fire and deals being made, so stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Reddit, The Information, and 9to5Mac

  • Rumor: TSMC to begin creating 3nm chips with up to 40 cores

    Rumor: TSMC to begin creating 3nm chips with up to 40 cores

    The rumor mill has it that processor manufacturer TSMC plans to begin commercial production of chips built via its 3 nanometer process in the fourth quarter of 2022.

    According to sources close to the story, Apple is expected to release its first devices with 3nm chips fabricated by TSMC in 2023, including Macs with M3 chips and iPhone 15 models with A17 chips. As usual, the move to a more advanced process will result in improved performance and power efficiency, which will enable faster speeds and longer battery life on future Macs and iPhones.

    Per The Information, the M3 chips will have up to four dies, which could theoretically allow for up to a 40-core CPU. By comparison, the M1 chip has an 8-core CPU and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips have 10-core CPUs.

    Apple’s M1 Macs already offer industry-leading performance-per-watt, while the A15 chip in iPhone 13 models is the fastest processor ever in a smartphone.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, DigiTimes, and The Information

  • Rumor: Apple’s M3 processor enters pilot production phase, uses 3 nanometer “N3” process

    Rumor: Apple’s M3 processor enters pilot production phase, uses 3 nanometer “N3” process

    Apple’s next-gen processor, the M3, may have already entered its pilot production phase.

    According to DigiTimes, TSMC, Apple’s chipmaking partner, has begun producing the processor using it 3 nanometer process, known as “N3.”

    The report, citing unnamed industry sources, claims that TSMC will move the process to volume production by the fourth quarter of 2022 and start shipping 3nm chips to customers like Apple and Intel in the first quarter of 2023.

    It’s thought that this process advancement will allow for both performance and power efficiency improvements, which can lead to faster speeds and/or longer battery life on future Apple devices and Macs.

    The first Apple devices with 3nm chips will likely debut in 2023, including iPhone 15 models with an A17 chip and Apple silicon Macs with M3 chips — all names are tentative. 

    According to a November report by The Information’s Wayne Ma, the M3 chips will have up to four dies, which could translate into a 40-core CPU, compared to the 8-core M1 chip and 10-core M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

    In the meantime, Macs with M2 chips and iPhone 14 models are expected to use chips based on TSMC’s N4 process, which is another iteration of its 5 nanometer process.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, DigiTimes, and The Information