This year, Apple will unveil the first 3nm SoC mass manufactured on TSMC’s next-generation node, which is the A17 Bionic, and it is said to be exclusively foundin the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Anticipating huge demand for the newer iPhones, a report states that the Taiwanese chip giant will ramp up 3nm production by the end of this year, bringing its monthly output to 100,000 wafers.

Apple to reportedly ship iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with more exclusive features to generate higher demand

TSMC is slowly increasing its 3nm capacity, with a report published on Economic Daily News stating that the output will reach between 90,000-100,000 monthly wafers to meet demand. The majority of the capacity is dedicated towards the A17 Bionic that will be found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but the latest information did not mention the percentage of orders that will be fulfilled for Apple.

However, an earlier report stated that the Cupertino tech behemoth had secured 90 percentof TSMC’s 3nm chip shipments, so if that monthly wafer output reaches 100,000 units, 90,000 of them will be for Apple. The company’s competitors are refraining from taking advantage of the cutting-edge 3nm process due to the high wafer cost, and it is likely that Apple will also have to absorb these expenses.

However, TSMC can grant a concession if its output figure reaches 100,000 monthly wafers by the end of 2023, but those initial price increases can mean that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be more costly to consumersthan their direct predecessors. Fortunately, there appears to be a cost-reduction solution, and that is TSMC shifting from its N3B process to N3E, but one rumor alleges that making a switch will result in the A17 Bionic losing its performance for some reason.

Foxconn is already reported to begin mass production of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max later this month, with an initial shipments target of 85-90 million units. Depending on demand, both TSMC and Foxconn are expected to ramp up production. However, given that the ‘Pro’ models will ship with more exclusive upgradesthan the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, both of Apple’s supply chain partners will likely be ready for this shift in momentum.

News Source: Economic Daily News