Apple’s journey into custom chip design has been a game-changer. Johny Srouji, the company’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, recently shared some insights into what Apple has learned from building its own processors. His talk at the ITF World event in Belgium highlighted how these lessons are transforming Apple’s products and possibly the entire tech industry.

The Shift to Custom Silicon

Srouji explained that Apple’s move to develop its own chips started with the iPhone. At first, it was about giving the device enough power while keeping battery life in check. Instead of relying on third-party processors, Apple chose to create its own. This was a tough choice, but it gave the company full control. They could optimize chips for efficiency and performance. That meant designing chips that work best when the device is pushed hard, but also save energy during lighter tasks. It’s a smart way to extend battery life while still delivering high performance.

Design Lessons and the Power of Transistors

One key point Srouji made is that transistors are the building blocks of chips. Over the years, Apple’s chips have gone from just a few million transistors to hundreds of billions. For example, the A4 chip used in iPhones 15 years ago had 190 million transistors. Today’s M3 Ultra has 183 billion. That’s a massive leap, and it explains why newer chips are so much more powerful. The increase in transistor density allows for faster graphics, better AI capabilities, and more efficient performance.

The Impact on Apple’s Hardware and Beyond

All this progress in chip design isn’t just for phones. It’s reflected across Apple’s entire lineup, including Macs. The M1 MacBook Air, for example, offers performance comparable to much larger Intel-based Macs, but with better efficiency. Apple’s ability to innovate in hardware is partly due to its vertical integration—designing hardware and software together. This means improvements made in chips quickly find their way into millions of Apple products.

The Road Ahead and Physics as the Limit

Looking forward, Srouji says Apple isn’t done pushing the boundaries. The company is already working with 2nm chips, which promise even higher transistor density. While it’s unlikely we’ll see a 17,000-fold increase in performance, the only real limit is physics. As chips get smaller, Apple’s engineers will focus on tiny improvements to boost efficiency and performance. They’re also exploring how AI can help speed up chip design, making it easier and faster to innovate.

In the end, Apple’s focus on building better chips from the ground up is shaping the future of tech. As transistor technology advances and physics set new limits, the company’s ability to squeeze more power into smaller chips will keep driving innovation. It’s an exciting time for Apple fans and tech enthusiasts alike.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4046192/apples-silicon-development-leader-on-processor-design.html

Sources

• gmpg.org
• imec-int.com
• vimeo.com
• applemust.com
• vivaldi.net