"Taiwan News" is a garbage source. TSMC doesn't even mention "1nm" or anything equivalent.
"Taiwan News" is a garbage source. TSMC doesn't even mention "1nm" or anything equivalent.
F21P2 added for N3, HVM 2026PHOENIX, Arizona, Dec. 6, 2022 – TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced that in addition to TSMC Arizona’s first fab, which is scheduled to begin production of N4 process technology in 2024, TSMC has also started the construction of a second fab which is scheduled to begin production of 3nm process technology in 2026
Of course not. TSMC's keeping them on an N-1 node, but Apple needs the latest for their flagship chips.Interestingly, despite the fact that Tim Cook will attend the upcoming celebratory event headlined by President Biden, Apple is not expected to be using any of the Arizona based Fabs for it's SoCs.
And, apparently, Apple won't be moving any N-1 production for older products back from Taiwan to the USA - which makes sense when I think about it.Of course not. TSMC's keeping them on an N-1 node, but Apple needs the latest for their flagship chips.
Interestingly, despite the fact that Tim Cook will attend the upcoming celebratory event headlined by President Biden, Apple is not expected to be using any of the Arizona based Fabs for it's SoCs.
Maybe one of the reasons that the ex-CEO claimed Arizona product would be ~50% more costly than Taiwanese.Also, Ian Cutress did the math for us. 600k wafers per year is only 50kwpm - so two plants will be producing about 1/2 the output of a Gigafab. Sounds a bit odd to me that a $40B investment doesn't even match the output of a Gigafab!
Hm... I have to guess that the price increase includes the need to ship the completed dies back to Asia where the majority of the packaging and substrate manufacturing is located. I mean, isn't one of the primary benefits of having things fabbed in Asia (specifically Taiwan) is that most, if not all, of the assembly process is within the same region? When you look at a modern AMD CPU for example, it says "Diffused in Taiwan, Assembled in Malaysia" or something like that, no? If so, it kind of defeats the point in diversifying TSMC fabs because it's just one part of the overall production line. Seems like I should look into whether or not the other key players are also opening up shop in Arizona...Maybe one of the reasons that the ex-CEO claimed Arizona product would be ~50% more costly than Taiwanese.
I saw some people trying to bring this to the attention of those writing the CHIPS bill. Whether money for the less sexy pre and post production stuff was included or it is all for fabs I don't know.Hm... I have to guess that the price increase includes the need to ship the completed dies back to Asia where the majority of the packaging and substrate manufacturing is located. I mean, isn't one of the primary benefits of having things fabbed in Asia (specifically Taiwan) is that most, if not all, of the assembly process is within the same region? When you look at a modern AMD CPU for example, it says "Diffused in Taiwan, Assembled in Malaysia" or something like that, no? If so, it kind of defeats the point in diversifying TSMC fabs because it's just one part of the overall production line. Seems like I should look into whether or not the other key players are also opening up shop in Arizona...
Aside overall production line being local to Asia as mentioned, the building knowledge as well as fab configuration is likely very optimized locally as well. TSMC organically builds from R&D to Gigafabs, equipment is likely shared and reused to a degree and there is some flexibility of multiple fabs being situated close to each other. Ground up new fabs far away from there obviously can't profit of all that.Maybe one of the reasons that the ex-CEO claimed Arizona product would be ~50% more costly than Taiwanese.
Yeah, the article I read was clearly wrong. It's looking like more and more of these n-1/2 are SoCs going into older/cheaper products that will be assembled in India. Interesting changes ahead in Apple's global manufacturing chain.Sure they will, Apple doesn't sell only products on with leading edge chips. They will still be selling iPhone 14 until Sept 2024, there might be an iPhone SE that uses an N5/N4 chip even longer. Ditto for Macs.
Cook said Apple would be "the biggest customer" at this TSMC fab, though that's not saying much since Apple is something crazy like 25% of TSMC's revenue.
I can argue a good faith reason why this is occurring, a bad faith one, and so on and so on. Many possibilities it is unknowable but it is speculative and projective remains.Are Intel's ambitious fab plans breaking apart again?
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Intel backs out of planned construction start date for chip plant in Germany: Report
US chip giant can no longer commit to starting construction by mid-2023, Volksstimme reports.www.politico.eu
"The company had said construction was expected to begin in the first half of next year, with production planned to come online in 2027.
But Intel now sees a “difficult market situation” and can no longer commit to the planned start date for construction, Volksstimme reported, pointing to increased costs and a call for higher government subsidies."
Wow, that's certainly audacious. The EU ought to ask for its money back.pointing to increased costs and a call for higher government subsidies."
The cost numbers there contradict some other sources.Some additional TSMC N3(x) information: https://www.semianalysis.com/p/tsmcs-3nm-conundrum-does-it-even