[GeekyBear]

Apple isn't just transitioning to TSMC's 2nm node, they are also transitioning to a chiplet based design using TSMC's advanced packaging.

> What sets the A20 apart isn’t just the node shrink—it’s the revolution in packaging. Apple is transitioning to Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WLCM) integration, meaning that RAM will no longer be situated beside the chip, but rather on the chip wafer itself, integrated alongside the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine.

This shift eliminates the need for silicon interposers and substrates, thereby enhancing signal integrity, improving thermal dissipation, and facilitating faster memory access with lower latency. The benefits? Better multitasking, smoother AI processing (hello, Apple Intelligence), improved battery life, and potentially a smaller chip footprint—freeing up space for other components.

https://hwbusters.com/news/apples-a20-chip-ushers-in-a-new-e...

It's entirely possible that TSMC is ramping up more slowly than expected.

[npunt]

A kind request - please try to write HN replies without AI, but if you're going to, please at least edit out any "it's not X its Y" or "isn't just X, but also Y" AI tics. A lot of us come here to get away from talking to AIs all day.

[monocasa]

Do we have any explanations of what WLCM means that are more industry focused? I couldn't find anything that didn't look like blogspam. And that explanation of the DRAM being on the same wafer doesn't really make sense. For one, at that point there's no "multi chip" part if you're integrating more onto the same die rather than less.

And their explanation isn't really passing the smell test for me for other reasons, for instance the fact that DRAM processes are pretty radically different than bulk logic processes, which wouldn't really let you put it all on the same wafer, much less the same die. Even back in the day when you had eDRAM blocks (like the Xbox 360's eDRAM die), that was really a DRAM process with a bit of logic cells that wouldn't be competitive if they weren't sitting right next to the DRAM blocks.

I could be wrong here though, my examples are more than a bit long in the tooth.

[GeekyBear]

You can start by reading up on TSMC's name for the tech (although there are many versions at TSMC and TSMC isn't the only company packaging chiplets and memory on top of a silicon interposer).

> CoWoS (Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate)

https://semiwiki.com/wikis/industry-wikis/cowos-chip-on-wafe...

It's a more advanced update from their older InFO tech.

[craigjb]

The terms to search for are fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) and TSMC InFO. The chiplets come from different wafers and are reconstituted into a molded plastic wafer, allowing multiple die side-by-side. Then multiple layers of wires are built on top, terminating in a BGA.

[monocasa]

Ok, part of my confusion was that it was being presented in contrast to InFO-oS and InFO-PoP, but it appears to mostly be a modified version of InFO-PoP called InFO-M? Because Apple has been using InFO-PoP for almost a decade at this point, starting with the A10.

[tanseydavid]

My astonishment at these manufacturing processes is never-ending.

[grogenaut]

So far the only thing I've seen useful out of apple intelligence is running parakeet natively and effectively... which should have been their very first feature... given it's been on phones for 10+ years.

As someone who wants to run effective llms locally for many things their other big benefit has been the unified memory studios for a small bit.