According to a report from *China Times*, Apple appears to be skipping TSMC's latest 2-nanometer (N2P) chip process for its upcoming A20 and M6 chips. These chips are expected to power new iPhones and redesigned MacBook Pro models with OLED displays. This decision suggests Apple is prioritizing other factors, such as cost and production readiness, over the marginal performance gains offered by the newer process.

TSMC's N2P is an enhanced version of the base N2 process, offering only a modest 5% performance increase. However, it comes with higher manufacturing costs. Competitors like Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to adopt N2P for their flagship mobile chips. Apple's decision to stick with the base N2 process could be due to factors like existing production capacity and the timing of N2P's mass production.

Demand for 2-nanometer manufacturing has already been high, with Apple having likely secured a significant portion of the initial N2 capacity. N2P's mass production only starts in the second half of the year, which might not provide enough time for Apple to incorporate the new chips into their hardware. This decision showcases Apple's strategy of balancing performance gains with cost-effectiveness and supply chain considerations.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how this impacts the performance of the new iPhones and Macs. Will the A20 and M6 chips still deliver the performance consumers have come to expect? The industry will be watching closely as other chipmakers adopt the more advanced N2P technology. This could potentially influence Apple's future chip strategy.