The recently released iPhone 15 Pro series is equipped with the new A17 Pro bionic chip. During the launch, many users wondered why the naming skipped directly from A16 to A17 Pro. The reason has now been revealed.
According to industry insider @手机晶片达人, the A17 Pro uses the N3B process technology. Next year, it will switch to the more cost-effective N3E process, which will be named the A17 processor. The standard versions of the iPhone 16 will be equipped with the A17 Tupai.
This explanation aligns with earlier reports of insufficient yield rates for the 3nm process, suggesting that the A17 may be divided into two versions. Previously, it was reported that TSMC’s 3nm wafer yield is currently only 55%, and the A17 series chips may be produced in two versions using TSMC’s N3B and N3E processes (the latter being a “simplified version”). For instance, the chips used in this year’s iPhone 15 Pro series may initially adopt the N3B process, while the new iPhone next year (expected to be the standard version) will use the A17 with the N3E process.Historical Information
