TSMC 1.6nm chips could enter mass production before the close of 2026, with the world’s leading foundry already looking beyond its current 2nm generation. Reports from Taiwanese media indicate that development and validation of the company’s A16 angstrom-class process have been completed, paving the way for manufacturing to begin as soon as the fourth quarter of the year.
At present, Samsung’s Exynos 2600 is the only 2nm chipset on the market, powering some Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus versions along with the Z Flip 8. The iPhone 18 Pro’s A20 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 are also expected to adopt the advanced manufacturing process, yet TSMC appears poised to move to an even more refined node very shortly.
What the A16 process brings
The A16 process is said to utilise the so-called Super Power Rail (SPR), the company’s backside power delivery network. This new architecture separates the signal and power wirings, placing the latter on the backside of the wafer rather than keeping both on the front. The separation reduces bottlenecks during data transmission, directly improving both computing speed and energy efficiency.
Compared with the 2nm architecture now beginning to reach flagship smartphones, the new process is expected to deliver between 8% and 10% faster speeds. Energy consumption could fall by 15% to 20%, marking the most notable practical improvement for the technology.
When smartphones might benefit
Although flagship smartphones typically rely on the most advanced processors available, the A16 technology may not initially be intended for them. TSMC is reportedly targeting artificial intelligence and high-performance computing chips first. Even if the foundry were to serve its usual mobile clients, the technology would likely appear in consumer products no sooner than the end of next year.
Consumer technology has yet to fully embrace the 2nm process, with Apple’s A20 Pro, the MediaTek Dimensity 9600, and upcoming Snapdragon flagship chips all expected to be built on it. The subsequent step for smartphones is anticipated to be the 1.4nm process, which could reach actual devices around 2028 or even 2029.
TSMC is reportedly already working on that 1.4nm-class process, which is scheduled to enter mass production in 2028.
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Image: phonearena.com
