The partnership between TSMC and Apple for more efficient chips has allowed for several advances when it comes to silicon development. First, we have 5nm SoCs running on smartphones and notebooks, even though the M1 Macs have only used them so far.
However, phone makers using 3nm chipsets will become commonplace, and soon after, 2nm parts. To make this transition possible, a new report states that TSMC and Apple have teamed up to drive chip development, but we doubt that we will see any form of mass production in a few years.
TSMC may have already secured orders for a 2 nm chip, according to previous reports
While the headline of the report talks about TSMC fulfilling orders for 3 nm chips for Intel, Patently Apple notes an interesting detail that will help the Taiwanese giant push the limits of silicon development, which is 2 nm R&D. Apparently, TSMC and Apple are working together for a single goal; mass production chips at the aforementioned node. However, before mass production plans are in progress, the report states that TSMC has started initial site preparation.
This suggests that TSMC will eventually build a facility dedicated exclusively to the production of 2 nm chips. In a previous report, it was mentioned that TSMC has already received orders for 2 nm chips, although the customer’s name has not been mentioned. The chip maker may be thinking of Hsinchu Baoshan as the site for the testing and development to take place. However, before this plan comes to fruition, TSMC will have to fulfill 3nm orders for several partners. It seems that Apple also has an advantage here, as the company secured the initial 3nm order batch.
This technology will be used to develop custom silicon for iPhone, iPad and Macs. Apple may also have an 80 percent share in TSMC’s 5 nm production capacity for 2021, with the next A15 Bionic being manufactured on the most advanced N5P node. We expect that 2022 will be the year that TSMC will start mass production of 3 nm chips, with the experimental production of 2 nm expected to occur in 2023, assuming that everything goes according to plan.
For now, the two entities may be working together for 2nm R&D, but we would not hold our breath if the chips from this lithography arrived so early.
News source: UDN