TSMC Struggling to Make Enough 3-Nanometer Chips for Apple
Apple supplier TSMC is "straining" to produce enough of its newest 3-nanometer chips to meet demand for Apple's upcoming devices, according to a report from EE Times. Analysts believe TSMC is having issues with tools and yield, impacting the ramp up to volume production of the new chip technology.
TSMC is manufacturing the 3nm A17 chips that are expected to be used in the iPhone 15 Pro models, plus it is working on Mac-series "M3" chips that are also expected to be built on the 3nm process. Arete Research analyst Brett Simpson told EE Times that he estimates TSMC's yields for A17 and M3 processors are at approximately 55 percent, which is appropriate for the stage of development TSMC is at. "TSMC looks on schedule to boost yields by around 5+ points each quarter," he said.
Last week, TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said that while the company has reached "high-volume production with good yield," demand from customers exceeds its ability to supply. During the second half of the year, TSMC will ramp up production of A17 and M3 chips for Apple, while also working on chips for Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.
TSMC's 3-nanometer chip technology is cutting edge, and it is the only company aside from Samsung that is able to manufacture chips on a 3nm process. Compared to the current 4nm process used for Apple's iPhone 14 Pro chips, the 3nm process brings both speed and efficiency improvements.
Once 3nm production is well established, TSMC will move on to 2nm. TSMC is expected to start production on the 2nm node in 2025.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
