What you should know
- The A17 Pro chipset is the only 3nm application processor found on a smartphone this year
- China Times reports that TSMC is currently producing 60,000-70,000 wafers per month for 3nm chips, but that number should rise to 100,000 per month by the end of next year.
- 3nm production could account for 10% of TSMC’s revenue in 2024, double the 5% it accounted for this year.
- Apple is spending plenty of money to be a leader in 3nm.
Full Story
TSMC’s first 3nm process node, N3B, is in use by one of its customers – Apple. The 3nm application processor (AP) A17 Pro is exclusively powering the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The process of reserving most of TSMC’s 3nm production was revealed, with Apple being the only firm willing to pay the high wafer prices of $20,000 each and utilizing a 55% yield. However, The Information claimed that TSMC’s 3nm yield was 70% and reported that Apple received a deal from TSMC in which TSMC is covering the cost of defective chips produced using TSMC’s N3B node. According to the report, this might save Apple an amount in the billions of dollars.
The A17 Pro chipset is the only 3nm application processor found on a smartphone this year, manufactured in large quantities. Reports suggest that TSMC is producing 60,000-70,000 3nm wafers every month, with that number expected to rise to 100,000 per month by the end of next year. It is predicted that Qualcomm and MediaTek will be signing up for the N3E second-generation 3nm node, which is a lower cost than N3B. TSMC expects 3nm production to account for 10% of its revenue in 2024, double the 5% it accounted for this year. The A17 Pro and M3 chips should generate $3.1 billion in revenue for TSMC in 2023, with Apple spending plenty of money to be a leader in 3nm. Apple has reportedly spent $1 billion to tape out the 3nm M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chipsets, indicating heavy investment in this cutting-edge technology.
