According to a DigiTimes report, Apple’s main chip supplier TSMC is on track to begin risk production of a 3nm fabrication process in the second half of this year, when the foundry will be capable of producting 30,000 wafers built using the more advanced technology. TSMC reportedly plans to expand its 3nm process capacity to 55,000 units monthly in 2022 and 105,000 units in 2023.
A previous report suggested TSMC will be ready to move into volume production in the second half of next year, suggesting the 3nm production roadmap is unchanged.
Meanwhile, TSMC plans to scale up its 5nm process manufacturing capacity throughout the year to meet increasing demands from its major customers…
TSMC’s 5nm process capacity will reach 160,000 wafers monthly by 2024, the sources indicated. In addition to Apple, other major customers using TSMC’s 5nm process manufacturing include AMD, MediaTek, Xilinx, Marvell, Broadcom and Qualcomm, the sources said.
Overall 5nm chip orders placed by Apple reportedly remain stable, thanks to new orders for Apple’s Arm-based M1 processor and continued brisk demand for the iPad Air, powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip.
MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully prior to the publication of this DigiTimes report, somebody sent Intel management a couple pallets of adult diapers or Santa Clara’s pretty messy today.