Apple supplier TSMC is “struggling” to produce enough of its new 3-nanometer chips to meet demand for upcoming Apple devices, according to a report from Apple. ee times. Analysts believe that TSMC is having issues with tooling and performance, affecting the increase in volume production of the new chip technology.
TSMC is making the 3nm A17 chips that are expected to be used in the iPhone 15 Pro models, and is working on the Mac series “M3” chips that are also expected to be built on the 3nm process. Brett Simpson, an analyst at Arete Research, said ee times which estimates TSMC’s returns for the A17 and M3 processors to be about 55 percent, which is appropriate for TSMC’s stage of development. “TSMC seems to be in time to boost returns by more than 5 points each quarter,” he said.
Last week, TSMC CEO CC Wei said that while the company has achieved “high-volume production with good performance”, customer demand exceeds its supply capacity. 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 3nm chip technology is cutting edge and is the only company other than Samsung that can manufacture chips in a 3nm process. Compared to the current 4nm process used for Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro chips, the 3nm process brings improvements in both speed and efficiency.
Once 3nm production is well established, TSMC will move to 2nm. TSMC is expected to start production on the 2nm node in 2025.
popular stories
iOS 16.5 for iPhone includes these two small but useful features
Apple made the second beta version of iOS 16.5 available to developers and public testers last week. So far, only two new features and changes have been discovered for the iPhone, including a Sports tab in the Apple News app and the ability to start a screen recording with Siri. More details about these changes are described below. iOS 16.5 is likely to be released publicly in May, and it’s possible…
Three previously unreleased Mac models appear in Apple’s Find My Configuration file
Three new Mac model identifiers were recently added to a Find My configuration file on Apple’s backend, Nicolás Álvarez discovered (via @aaronp613). The new identifiers are Mac14.8, Mac14.13, and Mac14.14, and are listed alongside Mac14.3 and Mac14.12, the identifiers for the latest M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini models. The list in Apple’s config file relates to override…
iPadOS 17 is again rumored to stop supporting these iPads
Apple in iPadOS 17 will drop support for the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch first-generation iPad Pro, as well as the fifth-generation iPad, according to French technology website iPhoneSoft. This is the second time we’ve heard claims about the compatibility of the iPad device with the upcoming operating system that Apple is developing. Early last month, a source with a proven track record of upcoming software updates…
AR/VR headset rumor roundup: 10 features coming to Apple’s next major product
Apple in less than two months plans to enter a new category of products, presenting its first mixed reality headset. Rumors suggest that upcoming headsets will support AR and VR technology, and will have a number of features that will dwarf competing products. Render created by Ian Zelbo based on rumored information With the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, Apple hardware…
Top Stories: Apple Card Savings Account Launches, 15-inch MacBook Air Rumors, and More
With WWDC roughly six weeks away, rumors continue to swirl about what we might see at the event. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman joined us on this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show to give us his take on things, but a lot is still up in the air. This week also saw the launch of the complementary Apple Card savings account and the promised smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sound…
Apple headphones will use the “new patented charging connector” for the external battery
Apple’s mixed reality headset will have two ports, including a USB-C interface for data transfer and a new proprietary charging jack for the power bank, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset Concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Most AR/VR headsets on the market have a built-in battery, but reports suggest Apple’s headsets will connect to a…
