Samsung has already joined hands with Qualcomm, who has announced its latest Snapdragon 835 processor. Samsung will be using its new 10nm process to build the SD 835 chips, making them faster and more power efficient. Samsung was racing against TSMC for the 10nm process, but the Samsung-Qualcomm deal hasn’t affected TSMC as its own 10nm process has been perfected gradually. And also, TSMC has already started working on its 7nm process!

According to a new report coming straight from China, TSMC has started developing a new 7nm process that will obviously be much better than the 10nm process. TSMC’s 10nm chips will be shipped out in the first quarter of 2017, while Samsung will probably be quicker in the shipment of its 10nm chips. However, TSMC is not worried at all, as their 10nm process is being used to make Apple’s A11 chipset that will be used in the 2017 iPhone 8.

Talking about the 7nm process by TSMC, it is being said that the company is already beta testing the process with the help of about 20 insiders. Rumors suggest that the trial production of the TSMC 7nm chips will begin in the second half of 2017. TSMC will officially start shipping the 7nm process chips in 2018, and it is highly possible that those will be Apple’s A12 chips to be used in the 2018 iPhone (probably iPhone 8s or iPhone 9).

Some rumors suggest that TSMC may hurry up the development of its 7nm process and Apple may use 7nm A11 chips in the iPhone 8. But hastening up things is really not Apple’s style. And anyway, supply chain rumors already say that Apple will exclusively deal with TSMC for 7nm processor chips. So let’s wait for more news before we guess anymore.

For further updates, stay tuned.