Apple Asks TSMC to Up A13 Chip Production Due to High Demand for 11 and 11 Pro - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Asks TSMC to Up A13 Chip Production Due to High Demand for 11 and 11 Pro

by

Apple has asked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to increase production of the A-series chips that are used in the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max due to higher-than-expected demand, reports Bloomberg.

iphone 11 and 11 pro no background
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro demand has been outperforming Apple's expectations, and sales have been especially strong in China, a welcome change from the drop in sales that Apple saw with the 2018 iPhone models. Apple's iPhone 11, priced starting at $700, has been a "particular driver" for the increased demand.

Apple's TSMC A13 chip orders are set to increase again in just a few months as Apple prepares to launch a new low-cost iPhone, which will be a successor to the popular iPhone SE.

The upcoming iPhone, which could launch as early as March, is said to feature an affordable price tag. The device is rumored to feature a 4.7-inch display, thick top and bottom bezels with a Touch ID Home button, and a single-lens camera, but it will be equipped with the same A13 chip used in the 11 and 11 Pro.

During a recent earnings call, TSMC reported earnings above most analyst expectations and forecasted a strong quarter ahead.

Tag: TSMC

Top Rated Comments

82 months ago
Apple is most certainly doomed!

Wait, what, increase?!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago
It’s not because of high demand of current flagships, it is for upcoming iPhone 9 ( possible name ).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AustinIllini Avatar
82 months ago

Maybe the rebranding to remove the "XR" is the cause for the increase in sales? Any other theories on why this might be selling better than last year's model?
iPhone 6 going out of support is a huge factor. The fact is, those were the biggest selling iPhones
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago

from wafer start to assembled chip ship for phone assembly you are looking at a 2.5 - 3 months lead-time, so if these are for increased 11/11Pro demand, it's too late ... if they increased orders now, its for the new iPhone that will be assembled in ~ Apr timeframe ... this article doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Even if your speculative guess is true, they plan on selling the iPhone 11 through 2020, so it still makes sense. Plus, many of their orders are for replenishing inventories that are likely dwindling faster than expected.

Apple likely plans months in advance, so this would be for anticipated sales. Apple is world class at having product available, so this isn’t some rush to get some on the shelves next week.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago

I don't know about others but I went with the Pro Max for the battery. All my iPhones have been positively horrid on battery life. For once, it's been really great and I'm not stuck by a charger all day long. I just hope new iOS versions don't totally obliterate this new found freedom I've gained.

I hadn't upgraded since the 7 Plus. Though I did try an XS and an 11. Both were mediocre in battery and sound quality.

This Pro Max does well.
Yep I did upgrade from 7 plus to 11 pro max.
Part of my 3 and half - 4 years upgrade cycle.
I found that this is the best interval to upgrade to feel the bump in technology and to be financially aware.

either way iPhones consistently keep their strength for 2-3 years and they degrade after the third slowly: battery or OS is to much for them to handle.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago

Maybe the rebranding to remove the "XR" is the cause for the increase in sales? Any other theories on why this might be selling better than last year's model?
I think the naming is way better now than in 2018. Xs was the obvious successor to the iPhone X, and Xr was something "different", something less than the Xs.
Now the naming makes more sense, you have iPhone 11, so the standard iPhone, and then the Pro model with more features.
From a marketing perspective is better to have this naming instead of letters. I don't think it is the main reason why 11 is selling more than Xr, but I think it helps
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Monday April 20, 2026 7:13 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple CEO Tim Cook Stepping Down, John Ternus Taking Over

Monday April 20, 2026 1:33 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus is set to take over, Apple announced today. Cook will continue on as Apple CEO through the summer, with Ternus set to join Apple's Board of Directors and take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook is going to transition to executive chairman, and he will "assist with certain...
macOS 27 on MacBook Pro

macOS 27 Will Mark the End of an Era

Saturday April 18, 2026 6:45 am PDT by
During its Platforms State of the Union segment at WWDC 2025, Apple revealed that macOS 26 Tahoe is the final major macOS version for Intel-based Macs. The upcoming macOS 27 release will be compatible with Apple silicon Macs only, meaning that you will need a Mac with an M-series chip or a MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip in order to install the software update. macOS 27 should be available...