Apple Supplier TSMC Delays Production of 4nm Chips at Arizona Factory Due to Skilled Worker Shortage

Apple supplier TSMC has been working on building a chip manufacturing plant in Arizona where it plans to manufacture chips for Apple, but mass production is set to be delayed because of a worker shortage.

m1 4nm feature2
According to The Wall Street Journal, TSMC is finding it difficult to hire people with expertise in building semiconductor factories in the United States. TSMC may have to bring in experienced technicians temporarily from Taiwan, which would delay production of the first 4nm chips until 2025.

"We are now entering a critical phase of handling and installing the most advanced and dedicated equipment. However, we are encountering certain challenges," said TSMC Chairman Mark Liu.

Reports in November suggested that TSMC would use its Arizona plant to begin manufacturing 4-nanometer chips for Apple as soon as it opened in 2024. Apple and other suppliers are eager to be able to source chips from the United States, so the manufacturing delay could potentially impact Apple's 2024 device plans.

After manufacturing 4-nanometer chips, TSMC plans to build an adjacent facility that will produce more advanced 3-nanometer chips for Apple. Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 models and its future M3-series chips are expected to be built on TSMC's 3-nanometer node, but initial chips will come from Taiwan factories.

Tag: TSMC

Top Rated Comments

Mr. Dee Avatar
11 weeks ago
What did you expect from a consumption society? The hires they already have probably called in sick to go watch Barbie/Oppenheimer double feature.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iObama Avatar
11 weeks ago
Then pay them well.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tekchic Avatar
11 weeks ago
This is not due to a lack of skilled workers. That area in particular in AZ has Honeywell, Motorola, Intel, etc. TSMC has two things I've heard through the Phoenix watercooler: 1) They won't pay as well as the guys mentioned above, 2) The culture of TSMC is party line... no questions, work hard (overwork), etc.

That doesn't fly so well with a US engineering workforce.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SW3029 Avatar
11 weeks ago
THIS is the problem with manufacturing in America. It's not that Americans get higher wages, it's that a large enough number of Americans don't have the skills needed by today's high-tech manufacturers. Companies have no choice but to turn to Asia and India. America is so behind the rest of the world it's not even funny.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Fan 2008 Avatar
11 weeks ago
I'm glad to hear more that U.S manufacturing is coming. I hope it works out.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GMShadow Avatar
11 weeks ago
Reportedly, some of the issue is that Intel (which also has tons of fabs/expansion in the area) pays better, and has better hours.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: Preliminary Weights and Dimensions

Friday September 29, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
MacRumors has obtained preliminary information on the weights and dimensions planned for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The information corroborates previous reports suggesting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature larger displays. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Current information suggests that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will maintain the same...
CarPlay SharePlay

CarPlay Not Working for Some iPhone 15 Users, Possibly Because of USB-C Cables

Friday September 29, 2023 2:27 pm PDT by
CarPlay is not working as expected for some iPhone 15 users, an issue that is likely linked to the transition to USB-C. There are multiple complaints from MacRumors readers and Reddit users who are unable to get CarPlay to work with their new devices. Cable type and available port options are a common theme in the CarPlay reports, with many of the functionality problems linked to USB-A to...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...