San Francisco, Sep 10 (IANS): Apple's 5-nanometer based A14X processor, designed to be used in Macs and the next-generation iPad Pro, will enter mass production in the fourth quarter of this year.

The mass production of the processor will begin at TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), one of Apple's many suppliers. Once production begins, the monthly output is estimated at 5,000-6,000 wafers (a thin slice of semiconductor), reports DigiTimes.

Apple announced at its 'WWDC' developer conference in June that its Macs will transition from Intel x86-based CPUs to its self-designed Arm-based Apple Silicon processors over the next two years.

In 2019, TSMC announced a $25 billion investment in the new 5nm node technology in a bid to remain the exclusive supplier of Apple's processors.

The 12-inch MacBook will reportedly use the A14X processor, which is based on the 5-nanometer A14 chip that will be used in the upcoming iPhone 12 models.

Additionally, an iMac featuring Apple silicon is expected to release in the second half of 2021. The new device will be built with better performance and offer energy-efficiency thanks to the new processor.