Apple is reportedly asking its chipmaker TSMC to increase production of the A13 processor due to higher-than-anticipated iPhone 11 demand. Bloomberg reports that the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are selling particularly well in China.
The report says that the demand for iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is “outperforming the market and Apple’s expectations.” In turn, Apple is asking TSMC to increase production of the A13 processor to keep up with that demand. One person who spoke to Bloomberg specifically cited the entry-level iPhone 11 as “a particular driver for the increased demand.”
Another reason Apple is increasing production is to account for the upcoming launch of a new low-cost iPhone model. As reported many times, this device will feature a design similar to the iPhone 8, but with Apple’s latest A13 processor inside.
Meanwhile, this fall’s iPhone 12 lineup is expected to feature the next iteration of Apple’s A-series processors, likely called the A14. According to a recent supply chain report, TSMC is on schedule to start the production of the A14 processor using a new 5 nanometer process in Q2. The A13 was produced with a 7nm processor, so the A14 should be more power-efficient and faster, thanks to the 5nm process.
Various analysts have said that the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are selling better-than-expected, particularly the iPhone 11. New data from CIRP, released earlier this week, said that the combination of iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max accounted for 69% of all iPhones sold between October and December 2019.
Read more:
- What to expect from Apple in 2020: iPhone 12, triple-lens iPad Pro, new MacBook keyboards, more
- Report: iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models make up 69% of US iPhone sales in holiday quarter
- A14 chip could make the iPhone 12 as powerful as the 15-inch MacBook Pro
- TSMC will reportedly start production of A14 chip for this year’s iPhones in Q2, new 5 nanometer process
