Following the inauguration of its inaugural U.S. facility in Arizona in 2024, Apple’s semiconductor manufacturer TSMC is currently ahead of its timeline for two new factories. As per a report from Nikkei Asia, these plants could be operational “several quarters” sooner than initially projected.
These facilities will be tasked with producing older Apple chips, like the A16 and various Apple Watch processors, which may be utilized in both current and forthcoming Apple products, including HomePod, Apple Watch, Studio Display, and iPhone models. Additionally, TSMC’s third facility is anticipated to develop 2nm chips, aiming for mass production by the decade’s end. Apple is likely to incorporate this technology next year for the M6 and A19 Pro chips.
In addition, TSMC has pledged an extra $100 billion investment to establish five more factories in Arizona, encompassing two particular packaging plants and its most sophisticated chip production of 2 nanometers and beyond.
“Upon completion, approximately 30% of our 2-nanometer and more advanced [chip] capacity will be situated in Arizona, forming an autonomous, cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing hub in the U.S.,” TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei informed investors this week.
These state-of-the-art chip packaging facilities along with a research and development center will “complete the AI supply chain.” Apple and NVIDIA are among TSMC’s initial clients for the present Arizona plants, and they are likely to keep benefitting from the new facilities as they become fully operational.
For Apple, in particular, this could assist the company in producing some U.S.-manufactured products, like the Mac Pro. For a future generation, Apple could even assert it is utilizing processors made in America, which is largely more of a public relations strategy than a financially sound decision.
While the 2-nanometer chips are still a few years away from being produced in the U.S., TSMC aims to introduce the 3nm technology to its U.S. factories soon, indicating that the A17 Pro, the A18 family, and the M3, M4, and M5 chips could be manufactured in smaller quantities in the U.S.
