Apple has taken up almost the entire order capacity of TSMC’s 3nm chips for its iPhones and MacBooks, says a new Taiwanese report.
The report states that TSMC’s baseline 3nm process technology will likely account for around 90% of the company’s total 3nm family capacity in 2023. Furthermore, it is alleged that Apple has already reserved approximately 90% of this baseline 3nm capacity for the production of new iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads.
Both the A17 and M3 chips are anticipated to be manufactured utilizing TSMC’s advanced 3nm process. Reports regarding Apple’s orders for 3nm chips date back to 2020, indicating the company’s long-term strategic approach.
There are widespread rumors suggesting that the forthcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the first smartphones to feature a powerful 3nm chipset from Apple, expected to be called the A17 Bionic. Meanwhile, the next-generation MacBooks are expected to get the latest and greatest M3 chip.
The 3nm technology is anticipated to bring significant improvements to the performance and power efficiency of Apple’s upcoming A17 chip. It is projected that the A17 chip will deliver a remarkable 35% enhancement in power efficiency and a 15% performance boost compared to the 4nm A16 chip found in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
On the computer front, the M3 chip is expected to debut in an updated 13-inch MacBook Air and a new 24-inch iMac.
If these rumors materialize, it is possible that Qualcomm, Samsung, and MediaTek may contend for the remaining 10% of TSMC’s capacity later in the year. As a result, the supply of high-end 3nm chips for Android phones could potentially face constraints for a certain period.
However, this is speculative, as TSMC might also increase its capacity. Only time will tell how the situation unfolds.
