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Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models are equipped with the A16 chip manufactured on TSMC's N4 process. The upcoming iPhone 15's processing chip, set to debut in September next year, will be produced on a 3nm process. This process is also expected to be applied at TSMC's Arizona facility shortly after its operation commences. Production of wafers on the N4 process is slated to begin in 2024 as previously mentioned. In essence, this move by TSMC will facilitate a significant shift in iPhone component manufacturing to the United States.
Apple and TSMC have publicly disclosed plans to build a fab in Arizona, but the specific processes to be utilized within this facility remain undisclosed. Hence, Bloomberg's information remains unofficial. TSMC's US fab may also increase its production capacity beyond the current 20 thousand chip wafers per month. It is anticipated that next week, during an event in Phoenix, Arizona, featuring US President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, these plans will be officially announced.
However, with Samsung's current low chip yield rate, TSMC is poised to remain the world's largest supplier of 3nm chips in the near future. Consequently, the prices of these silicon wafers are expected to rise. Multiple sources suggest that the price of a 3nm silicon wafer will increase from $16,000 to $20,000.The escalating prices in comparison to the 5nm process essentially stem from increased production costs, a telltale sign of the current global tech supply chain situation, as well as shifts in Moore's Law, prompting companies to address technological challenges. Coupled with chip manufacturing in the U.S., where labor costs are not as cheap as China or Taiwan, this could drive up the price of iPhones.According to Techspot
