The use of TSMC’s Small Outline Integrated Circuit Packaging was previously said to be explored by Apple, and there is a chance that the company could take advantage of this technology when introducing its upcoming M5. According to a new report, the company plans to use the same Apple Silicon in its Macs and AI servers, with the advanced packaging technology likely aiding it in achieving that strategy.
M5 is currently said to be in the trial production phase on the SoIC technology, with mass production expected to happen from 2025
The California-based giant was previously reported to leverage its M2 Ultra and newly announced M4 for its AI servers. However, according to a paywalled report from DigiTimes that was spotted by MacRumors, Apple has other plans in mind as part of its push to bring the latest and greatest chipsets to various machines. SoIC packaging was first unveiled by TSMC in 2018, and it allows the stacking of chips in a three-dimensional structure, resulting in better thermal management, reduced current leakage, and better electrical performance compared to the two-dimensional chip design.
Apple has been found to be working on the M5 since late 2023, with a fresh leak revealing that the same SoC will power the updated 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models. It is unclear if the company intends to use the same packaging technology for the version found in its refreshed tablets. However, one thing is for certain; Apple’s strategy to use the same silicon in multiple product categories also has some cost benefits. In this manner, the company’s teams will not invest countless hours and resources in designing and taping out a new chipset, but they can scale the current one to fuel various product classes.
The M5 may also serve as a gateway for Apple to future-proof the hardware requirements of running AI servers. As the majority of you know, cloud computing requires intense processing capabilities, and with Apple Intelligence expected to roll out later this year, the company expects the proliferation of generative AI to the extent that the M2 Ultra and M4 SoCs might become the limiting factor. As for the M5’s release, the chip is said to be in the trial production phase, and mass production could happen as soon as 2025 or 2026.
News Source: DigiTimes
