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First SoC made in America: TSMC starts production for Apple in Arizona

27/09/2024

After delays and problems during manufacturing, chip contract manufacturer TSMC has now begun production of Apple’s older system-on-chip (SoC) A16 at a new Arizona semiconductor factory. Claim Technology journalist Tim Culpen, who is based in the Taiwanese capital and has good contacts with TSMC.

A16 production will start from 2022

As he writes in his Substack, the A16, which Apple introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022 and was most recently used in the 2023 iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, is being manufactured as part of Phase 1 of TSMC’s Fab 21. As being made, “small, but significant quantities”. Increase in production is planned in the second phase of Phase 1. The target is the first half of 2025.

The A16 uses N4P technology – an improved process from the 5 nanometer generation, so it is no longer the most modern manufacturing technology. TSMC did not want to confirm when production would begin. It told Kalpan only that work on the Arizona project has made “good progress” and is going “as planned.” With the TSMC plant, Apple wants to reduce its reliance on its Taiwanese locations; The US government is pouring billions of dollars into domestic manufacturing.

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speculation about use

Apparently the production target in terms of yield had almost been met. Yields in Arizona are “slightly behind” those in Taiwan. Kalpan claims that he has heard that good progress can be seen here too, so that yield parity can be achieved in the coming months. It has not yet been leaked which devices the first “Made in the United States” A16 SoCs will go into.

A new iPad mini, expected this year, is conceivable. However, the A16 is not suitable for Apple Intelligence; Apple only supports its AI system with the A17, which is in the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. Culpan speculates about its use in the iPhone SE 4, the current generation of which uses the A15. However, Apple is more likely to use the A17 or A18 to make the new devices Apple Intelligence-enabled. An iPad Mini without Apple Intelligence would also be quite unpleasant for customers.

(B.Sc.)