Apple's Chipmaker TSMC Announces Plan to Build Arizona Factory

Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC today announced its intention to build and operate an advanced semiconductor factory in Arizona, with construction planned to start in 2021 and production targeted to begin in 2024.

a13 chip video
The facility will be able to manufacture around 20,000 wafers per month using TSMC's latest 5-nanometer fabrication process. TSMC has been gradually miniaturizing its process over the years, going from a 16nm A10 chip in iPhone 7 models to a 7nm A13 chip in iPhone 11 models. iPhone 12 models are expected to use a 5nm A14 chip.

TSMC estimates that its total spending on this project, including capital expenditure, will be approximately $12 billion from 2021 to 2029, with the facility expected to create over 1,600 high-tech professional jobs directly.

TSMC already operates a factory in Camas, Washington and design centers in both Austin, Texas and San Jose, California, so the Arizona facility would be its second manufacturing site in the United States. The company's main factories are in Taiwan.

Tag: TSMC

Top Rated Comments

I7guy Avatar
52 months ago
Now there needs to be a factory to assemble the phones in North America.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FlyBry Avatar
52 months ago

This facility had better be able to produce more than 20k chips per month, otherwise I’d say the investment is not worth it. Even if they’re missing a zero in the number, making 200k units per month is such a paltry amount - what Apple product would that even support annually?
20K Wafers - not chips. Wafers and chips come in different sizes which affects yield.

Each 300mm wafer has around 14,500 chips. Maybe 70% will be usable.
https://caly-technologies.com/die-yield-calculator/
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brandon42 Avatar
52 months ago

Is it just me or does 20,000 chips per month seem pretty small?
I thought so as well. The original press release says wafers not chips.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calzon65 Avatar
52 months ago
At least this is a start to seeing a more diversified supply chain with some manufacturing in the USA.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicschoolbus Avatar
52 months ago
Important to have a chip factory in the USA.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pweicks Avatar
52 months ago
Everyone on here talkin bout wafers... y’all got me hungry!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Orange Feature 2

Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments as Demand Falls 'Sharply Beyond Expectations'

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:44 am PDT by
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
iPad And Calculator App Feature

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. AppleInsider...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, SEGA Genesis,...