The Apple A8 is a 64 bit processor available on the current gen iDevices and probably including in the upcoming iPad Air 2. In the meantime we find out that TSMC and ARM have revealed a new generation of 64 bit 16 nm processor, that Apple is likely to adopt next year.
It may become the Apple A8X or the Apple A9, but we can’t tell yet. The A8 is manufactured on a 20 nm process by TSMC and it’s supposed to offer 25% more CPU performance than the predecessor, the Apple A7. The Apple A8 uses a 20 nm ARM Cortex A57, while the new CPU uses ARM Cortex A57 and Cortex A53 processors on the 16 nm FinFET process technology. The new chip also has the advantage of lower power usage.
The Cortex A53 chip uses up only 75 mW for common workloads. FinFET is a technology employed to design and produce system semiconductors in a 3D structure. The new tech can increase the process speed by 15% with the same power usage, or reduce power usage by 30% at the same speed. The lower power version of the CPU will go into production later this quarter.
