The S8 processor in the Apple Watch Series 8 , Apple Watch Ultra, and second-generation Apple Watch SE is identical to the S6 and S7 based on their identifier code .
The processor in Apple's S8 SiP carries the same T8301 identifier as the processor in the S6 and S7 chips introduced in the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch Series 7. This explains why Apple has been comparing S-series processors to only S5 or older processors in recent years.
This also means that the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and the second-generation Apple Watch SE all have the same processor.
TSMC Can Expect Performance Improvement to Apple Watch
The S6, S7 and S8 processors all have 32GB of storage and dual cores . When Apple launched the S6 on the Apple Watch Series 6 and made performance claims about its latest line of smartwatches, it said the processor enabled apps to launch 20% faster .
The S6, S7 and S8 are based on Apple's A13 Bionic processor from the iPhone 11 series and are manufactured using TSMC's 7nm process. Along with the A14 Bionic processor, Apple switched to TSMC's 5nm process, and the iPhone 14 Pro's A16 Bionic processor is the first Apple processor to be produced with the 4nm process.
The reason Apple hasn't improved its technology on the S-series processors is because the cores in the A14 processor and advances in using TSMC 's 5nm and 4nm processes are primarily likely to provide performance improvements that are no longer necessary for the Apple Watch. Waiting for TSMC's 3nm process, which is scheduled to go into mass production by the end of this year , could yield more meaningful efficiency improvements . This is all the more important when it comes to the Apple Watch, especially because it can help extend battery life .