TSMC

The start of TSMC Arizona chip production – which will include chips for older Apple devices – has now been officially delayed by the company. Production was scheduled to begin in late 2024, and this has now been pushed back to early 2025.

Apple’s chipmaker had previously acknowledged that construction work had fallen well behind schedule, but had said at the time that this “[did] not necessarily mean” that initial chip production would be delayed …

Apple chipmaker TSMC has responded to recent concerns over both safety and potential US job losses during the construction and setup phase of its Arizona chip plant.

The company denied that there was a safety problem at the plant, and addressed concerns about plans that might impact US jobs …

TSMC‘s Apple chip production is not expected to be affected by China’s decision to restrict exports of two key materials, but there are fears that this could change dramatically if the relationship between China and the US continues to deteriorate.

The biggest fear is that China could take the same step with rare earth elements, like lithium …

Construction work on TSMC’s Arizona chip plant, which is set to make chips for some older Apple devices, has run over budget and behind schedule – leading to plans to send over hundreds of additional workers from Taiwan to try to address the problems.

The news follows concerns about safety at the plant, after multiple accidents, and a claim that an active shooter drill was used to disguise the need to evacuate the plant after a gas leak …

Questions are being raised about TSMC Arizona plant safety, after multiple accidents, near-misses, and claims of a faked active shooter drill to cover up the evacuation needed for a dangerous gas leak.

One union rep says that the plant – which is set to make chips for Apple – is “easily the most unsafe site” he’s seen in 17 years …

Warren Buffett’s conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway has now sold all its TSMC shares in what has been described as an “abrupt” move.

Buffett said that while he remained a great admirer of the company, tensions between China and Taiwan were too great to make it a safe investment – highlighting concerns about Apple’s total dependence on the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company for all of its processors …

TSMC 3nm chip production is well underway, with the latest process expected to be used for both the A17 chip in the iPhone 15 Pro, and the M3 destined for future Macs. However, the company told analysts that it isn’t yet able to keep up with customer demand.

Apple’s chipmaker also said that yield rates (the percentage of chips that pass quality control tests) are not yet good enough to charge the iPhone maker for every wafer produced …

Act surprised! There’s a potential snag in the plan for Apple chips to be made in the US by TSMC. The company’s A-series and M-series chipmaker says that the US government is imposing “unacceptable” conditions on the two TSMC Arizona plants it is building.

TSMC is said to have been offered tax credits worth $7-8 billion, but a new report says it is looking for the government to double its incentives to around $15B, and to waive the profit-sharing terms attached to the CHIPS Act …

iPhone assembler Foxconn last week reported a 21% year-on-year fall in revenue in March, and we’re today learning Apple chipmaker TSMC revenue also fell in the same month – by 15%.

While there are reasons to be cautious about reading too much into these results, it is near-certain that they give at least some clue as to Apple’s current fortunes …

A supply chain report says that M2 chip production was completely halted during January and February due to limited demand for M2-powered Macs. This is believed to be the first time that Apple has ever suspended chip production for current-gen products.

Production resumed in March, but is reportedly at half the level of M1 chip production in the same period last year …

Yesterday highlighted CHIPS Act rivalry between Intel and TSMC in particular, as the US chipmaker voiced its view that American firms should get higher priority when it comes to financial assistance from the government.

However, the White House has effectively given Intel a slap, by stating that the goal of the fund is not to help out struggling companies – and hinted that Apple chipmaker TSMC is likely to be a higher priority …

Intel has argued that, as a US company, it should get higher CHIPS Act subsidies than US chip plants owned by foreign companies like Apple chipmaker TSMC – even if its own plants sit empty.

TSMC, which is in line to receive subsidies for its Arizona plant, has hit back at the argument, stating that allocating cash by company HQ location would not be an efficient use of the money…

The TSMC Arizona plant set to make chips for Apple has been one of the most high-profile results of political attempts to boost America’s chipmaking capabilities – but it is now coming under fresh scrutiny, according to a new report.

Some employees are said to consider the plant a potentially damaging distraction, which could place the company’s technological lead at risk. Others say it’s simply a bad business decision …

The A17 chip expected to be used in the iPhone 15 may potentially focus more on battery-life improvements than processing power.

Apple chipmaker TSMC placed more emphasis on power efficiency than performance when discussing the 3nm process destined to be used for the iPhone 15 …

After TSMC and Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced its upcoming chip plant earlier this month in Arizona, mass production of 3nm silicon is kicking off in Taiwan with a celebration. Interestingly, a ceremony like this is unusual for TSMC, here’s why…

The first-ever TSMC European plant is being considered by the Taiwanese chipmaker, to be located in Dresden, Germany.

It is not envisaged that the plant would make chips for Apple, but the company says that at present “no possibility is being ruled out” …

Apple CEO Tim Cook said yesterday that TSCM Arizona plants would see Apple Silicon made in America. This appeared to contradict earlier reports that the US plants would always remain a step behind the most advanced chip tech TSMC uses in Taiwan.

On the face of it, Cook’s statement would seem to trump earlier “inside source” reports – but the stated timings are problematic, leaving open two distinct possibilities …

Later today, Apple CEO Tim Cook will be attending a celebratory event for the upcoming TSMC Arizona chip plants in Arizona. We’re now learning a little more about the company’s plans, including a tripling of the original investment.

However, it’s becoming even clearer that US-made chips are never going to rival those TSMC makes in its home country, Taiwan …

Apple will definitely use US chips made in TSMC’s Arizona plant, according to a new report today, which says that around a third of chips made there will be for the iPhone maker. Additionally, the plant’s capabilities will be boosted to 4nm chips, rather than the 5nm plans originally announced.

There have long been indications that Apple would be a key customer, and it appears that all doubt will be removed next week, as Tim Cook is said to be attending a TSMC event on Tuesday …

Update: TSMC has now confirmed the earlier report; Reuters reports a statement by the company’s founder, added at the bottom of the piece.

It’s looking increasingly likely that some future Apple chips will be made in the US, following a new report about A-series and M-series chipmaker TSMC.

The report says that TSMC plans to build a second plant in Arizona, and that this one will use the company’s most advanced tech …