TSMC Struggling to Make Enough 3-Nanometer Chips for Apple

[MacRumors]

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.

Article Link: TSMC Struggling to Make Enough 3-Nanometer Chips for Apple

 

[asdfjkl;]

Good thing this is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models only. If they used the A17 across the line there wouldn't be enough supply to meet demand.

 

[Maclver]

Right on time..... rumors of productions delays for the next iDevices..!

 

[nylonsteel]

tsmc needs more fab workers and fab equipment
cmon tsmc get those chips out and make big moolah

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Hopefully, this does not delay any of the upcoming Apple products.

 

[sorgo †]

Period 👏

You better work, TSMC

 

[CWallace]

A 55% yield rate would reinforce why M3 looks to not be happening in the next few months as every wafer is going to need to be dedicated to A17 production.

 

[JPack]

We kinda knew this was coming given the challenges with N3B. A price increase on the iPhone Pro models is almost a certainty now.

"Wafer cycle time of four months" for A17. That's huge.

 

[contacos]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

 

[redbeard331]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

0.5 nanometer, 0.25 nanometer, 0.01 nanometer, 0.001 nanometer.

 

[iProd]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

Pico

 

[smulji]

Hopefully, this does not delay any of the upcoming Apple products.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1650959993024180242

 

[KPOM]

This is why it will be a good thing once Intel gets its fab business built up. Apple can then choose from multiple companies to produce its chips.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Don’t worry about it, just save some for me

 

[ELman]

Seems like everything is coming in 2025.

 

[M-Life]

Seems like everything is coming in 2025.

Weclome to Macrumors buddy, where everything is perpetually 2 years away.

 

[falkon-engine]

Full Steam Ahead! Good to see 3nm finally enter Volume ramp, with decent yields.

 

[ilikewhey]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

replace silicon with possible other exotic material such as carbon nanotube, with current silicon wafer, the possibilities of electrons jumping lanes increases since the material application of silicon cannot be made small enough past a certain point.

 

[falkon-engine]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

Intel has started Angstroms so if TSMC follows suit, at 2nm that is 20A, then 1nm is 10A, 0.7nm is 7A, for example. Pico is the next frontier however… but at some point mankind can only shrink so far. So they will hit a wall.

 

[redbeard331]

They will need nano machines to make the nano chips. Probably all be gray goo before that happens.

 

[klasma]

What happens after we reach 1 tho

Those are just marketing numbers anyway: https://voonze.com/the-size-in-nano...istor-is-manufactured-in-3-5-or-7-nanometers/

That aside, they’ll just switch from nano to pico. Or maybe Moore’s Law will end after all.

 

[klasma]

Seems like everything is coming in 2025.

More like “not before 2025”.

 

[johnsc3]

Good thing this is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models only. If they used the A17 across the line there wouldn't be enough supply to meet demand.

I think this is part of the reason and to slow the overall pace, production, and proliferation of the ‘latest’ chip across the line of products. I believe this serves not only as a cost differentiator (price hike)- but also a practice going forward.

 

[Realityck]

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.

Pretty much addresses the whole issue with starting yields of new 3nm processes from TSMC. The assumption with oh they are already working on M3 SoC's versus A17 SoC's shows how so many don't understand the difficulty involved. Yes this is EETimes but usually they do good articles. So it's quite apparent that the M2 line needs to advance to the M2 Ultra and if they got something else about to announce.

 

[h.gilbert]

tsmc needs more fab workers and fab equipment

Absolutely, go get 'em girrllll