TSMC

By MacRumors Staff

TSMC Articles

Apple Silicon Teal Feature

Apple Likely Already Designing Chips Based on TSMC's 2nm Process

Wednesday February 28, 2024 4:07 am PST by
Apple is already designing the chips that will use TSMC's next-generation 2-nanometer fabrication process, according to information allegedly sourced from an Apple employee on LinkedIn. Originally captured by Korean website gamma0burst and shared on X (Twitter) by the leaker Revegnus (@Tech_Reve), the information appears in a heavily redacted slide said to list the employee's work on past...
Apple Silicon Teal Feature

Apple to Get TSMC's First 2-Nanometer Chips

Wednesday January 24, 2024 11:19 am PST by
Apple will be the first company to receive chips built on the TSMC's future 2-nanometer process, DigiTimes said today. According to sources that spoke to the site, Apple is "widely believed to be the initial client to utilize the process." The report comes from ‌DigiTimes‌ "Tomorrow's Headlines" alert, so additional details may be available in the full news story. TSMC is expected to...
Apple Silicon Teal Feature

Next-Gen Apple Chip Technology on Track to Reach Production in 2025

Monday January 15, 2024 6:26 am PST by
Next-generation 2nm chip technology destined for future Apple devices is on schedule to begin production next year, DigiTimes reports. TSMC chip fabrication facilities will begin installing equipment designed for 2nm chip production in April at the earliest. Apple was the first company to utilize TSMC's initial 3nm technology with the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌...
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Chipmaker Discusses Highly Advanced 1.4nm Chips for First Time

Thursday December 14, 2023 5:19 am PST by
TSMC has officially mentioned its work on 1.4nm fabrication technology that is likely destined to underpin future Apple silicon chips. In a slide (via SemiAnalysis's Dylan Patel) from its Future of Logic panel, TSMC disclosed the official name of its 1.4nm node for the first time, "A14." The company's 1.4nm technology is expected to follow its "N2" 2nm chips. N2 is scheduled for mass...
apple silicon 1 feature

TSMC Demos Next-Gen Chip Technology to Apple Ahead of 2025 Debut

Tuesday December 12, 2023 6:31 am PST by
TSMC has already demonstrated prototype 2nm chips to Apple ahead of their expected introduction in 2025, the Financial Times reports. Apple is said to be closely aligned with TSMC in the race to develop and implement 2nm chip technology, which will surpass their current 3nm chips and associated nodes in terms of transistor density, performance, and efficiency. 2nm chips are expected to be...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 Series Chip Technology Moves to Volume Production

Friday October 13, 2023 3:17 am PDT by
Apple has already given order commitments to chip supplier TSMC for its second-generation 3nm chip fabrication process known as N3E, which is expected to be used in all four models of next year's iPhone 16 lineup. TSMC's next 3nm node upgrade to N3E is less expensive and has improved yield compared to the Taiwanese foundry's first-generation 3nm process, N3B, which made its debut on the...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 Lineup Will Feature A18 and A18 Pro Chips, Analyst Says

Wednesday September 27, 2023 6:46 am PDT by
All four iPhone 16 models will be equipped with A18-branded chips, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain. In a research note with investment firm Haitong International Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, Pu said "we view A17 Pro as a transition design and now expect all the iPhone 16 models to feature A18, on TSMC's N3E." In response to ...
Apple Silicon Teal Feature

Apple Silicon's Next Big Upgrade Could Arrive in 2026

Tuesday September 19, 2023 4:49 am PDT by
Apple could upgrade to considerably more advanced 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology as soon as 2026, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a recent ims-8b3b9daea440">post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple will likely begin to use TSMC's 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology to produce iPhone chips as early as 2026. The iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip is the industry's first...
3nm apple silicon feature

Apple to Buy TSMC's Entire Supply of 3nm Chips for 2023

Tuesday August 29, 2023 3:29 am PDT by
Apple will receive all of TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process chips this year for upcoming iPhones, Macs, and iPads, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. As early as May, Apple was known to have booked nearly 90% of the Taiwanese pure-play foundry for its upcoming next-gen devices. However, Apple is now projected to take 100% of TSMC's capacity in 2023, due to delays in...
tsmc semiconductor chip inspection 678x452

TSMC Not Charging Apple for Defective 3nm Chips Ahead of iPhone 15 Pro Introduction

Monday August 7, 2023 8:53 am PDT by
Chip supplier TSMC has taken the unusual step of not charging Apple for defective 3nm chips ahead of the introduction of the iPhone 15 Pro and the A17 Bionic chip, The Information reports. The ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ is widely rumored to feature the A17 Bionic chip – Apple's first chip manufactured with a ‌3nm‌ fabrication process. The ‌3nm‌ node allows transistors to be even more densely packed,...
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Apple Supplier TSMC Delays Production of 4nm Chips at Arizona Factory Due to Skilled Worker Shortage

Thursday July 20, 2023 2:33 pm PDT by
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. 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...
Apple M2 Ultra Chip

Apple Supplier TSMC Suffers Data Breach, Hackers Demand $70M

Friday June 30, 2023 11:15 am PDT by
Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company today confirmed to TechCrunch that it recently suffered a data breach. TSMC is responsible for creating all of the A-series and M-series chips used in Apple devices. A TSMC spokesperson said that a "cybersecurity incident" caused data "pertinent to server initial setup and configuration" to leak, but TSMC customer information was not...
A17 Feature Dark

Apple Reportedly Planning to Switch Technology Behind A17 Bionic Chip to Cut Costs Next Year

Friday June 23, 2023 7:27 am PDT by
The A17 Bionic chip initially used in the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max later this year will fundamentally differ from a version of the same chip set to be manufactured in 2024, a new rumor claims. The A17 Bionic is expected to be Apple's first chip manufactured with a 3nm fabrication process, resulting in major performance and efficiency improvements over the 5nm technique used for...
3nm apple silicon feature

Apple Books Nearly 90% of TSMC's 3nm Production Capacity for This Year

Monday May 15, 2023 5:04 am PDT by
Apple has booked nearly 90% of chip supplier TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process capacity this year for future iPhones, Macs, and iPads, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes, providing the Taiwanese foundry with significant growth momentum in the second half of 2023. Apple's upcoming ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ models are expected to feature the A17 Bionic processor, Apple's first ‌iP...
3nm apple silicon feature

TSMC Struggling to Make Enough 3-Nanometer Chips for Apple

Tuesday April 25, 2023 1:20 pm PDT by
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...
tsmc semiconductor chip inspection 678x452

Apple's Huge 3nm Chip Orders for iPhone 15 Pro and M3 Macs Helping to Maintain TSMC's Fab Utilization Rates

Thursday March 9, 2023 2:48 am PST by
Apple supplier TSMC is making strides to improve its production capacity for chips based on its cutting-edge 3-nanometer process technology, according to industry sources, which is expected to debut in this year's iPhone 15 Pro and upcoming MacBook models. DigiTimes reports that TSMC's 5nm fabrication capacity began to loosen in November 2022 as a result of reduced orders from Apple, amongst ...
iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro's Next-Gen Chip Capabilities Expected to Spark Upgrade Demand Among Current iPhone Owners

Thursday March 2, 2023 3:08 am PST by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models may spark a "replacement demand" among owners of older iPhones, due to the significant improvements enabled by the A17 processor, Apple's first iPhone chip based on TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process. That's according to suppliers involved in Apple's iPhone supply chain. Quoting from the latest DigiTimes industry report: TSMC's N3E (3nm...
tsmc semiconductor chip inspection 678x452

Apple Orders Entire Supply of TSMC's 3nm Chips for iPhone 15 Pro and M3 Macs

Wednesday February 22, 2023 3:08 am PST by
Apple has reportedly secured all available orders for N3, TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process that is likely to be used in the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro lineup as well as new MacBooks scheduled for launch in the second half of 2023. According to a paywalled DigiTimes report, Apple has procured 100% of the initial N3 supply, which is said to have a high yield, despite the higher costs...
3nm apple silicon feature

Apple Supplier TSMC Starts Mass Production on 3nm Chips

Thursday December 29, 2022 3:30 pm PST by
Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) today started mass production of next-generation 3-nanometer chips that will be used in future Apple devices like iPhones, reports Bloomberg. TSMC is producing the chips at its southern Taiwan campus, and TSMC chairman Mark Liu said that demand for the technology is "very strong." The 3-nanometer chips will offer improved...
m1 4nm feature2

TSMC's Arizona Plant Will Manufacture 4nm Chips Starting in 2024 at Apple's Request

Wednesday November 30, 2022 8:50 pm PST by
TSMC's $12 billion chip plant currently under construction in Arizona will begin producing 4-nanometer chips as soon as it opens in 2024 thanks to urging from Apple and other companies, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The plant had originally been planned to start with production of 5-nanometer chips, but with Apple and other companies increasingly looking to source components from the ...