The A18 and A18 Pro are Apple’s two chipsets that are mass produced on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, which only means that sooner or later, the company will make a transition towards the 2nm technology. To prepare itself for the imminent switch, the Taiwanese semiconductor giant is reportedly prepping two fabrication plants, P1 and P2, on its home turf, with the end goal being to commence the installation of the necessary equipment. It has been reported that Apple will be the first customer of TSMC’s 2nm shipments, with both facilities said to produce a cumulative 40,000 monthly wafers once fully operational.
Unconfirmed rumors claim that Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup will be the first to feature 2nm A-series chips, but it is unlikely, given TSMC’s current progress
TSMC’s first 2nm production plant is located in Kaohsiung, with Liberty Times reporting that the installation of the necessary equipment will happen in December this year. Piping, electricity and water work of the factory is yet to start, with the latest information stating that trial production at the Kaohsiung is not expected to kick off until the second quarter of 2025 at the earliest. This production plant has been named P1, and the second one, P2, is estimated to have its equipment installation completed in the second half of next year.
When both facilities are up and running, they can churn out a monthly wafer production limit of 40,000 units, which should increase with time, just like what happened with the 3nm process. However, based on TSMC’s current schedule, it is unlikely that Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup next year will feature 2nm A-series chipsets, despite previous claims. Assuming that the Taiwanese firm switched into overdrive mode to complete P1 and P2, Apple would be apprehensive of gravitating towards placing wafer orders on the 2nm lithography due to the high production cost.
Earlier, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned that the iPhone 17 will feature Apple’s chipsets that have been mass produced on TSMC’s improved 3nm ‘N3P’ process, with the iPhone 18 family reportedly showcasing the first chips to use the 2nm technology. However, Kuo states that not all iPhone 18 models will flaunt SoCs on the cutting-edge lithography due to extremely high costs, hinting that the ‘Pro’ versions might be given preferential treatment again. It is unsurprising to learn that Apple would be TSMC’s first customer, given that the Cupertino giant was also the first to leverage its supply chain partner’s first 3nm iteration, which was ‘N3B’ and was used for the A17 Pro and M3 series.
News Source: Liberty Times Net
