Although the iPhone 12 has not yet been released, everyone knows that TSMC's 5nm process chip will be used, which will ensure that the iPhone 12 has no rivals before the end of the year. The Huawei Mate 40, which also uses 5nm chips, is difficult to pose a threat to the iPhone 12 because of the limited number. Of course, 80 million A14 chips are definitely not enough to feed Apple, so Apple has already made plans for next year.

Previously, the president of TSMC said that 5nm production capacity is rapidly climbing, and it is expected to meet the needs of more manufacturers next year. When various manufacturers can buy 5nm chips next year, TSMC once again stated that the enhanced version of 5nm chips will be released next year. Mass production began in half a year, and there is no doubt that Apple will be the largest customer again.

It also means that the iPhone 13 of this year will once again lead the products of friends, but Apple's ambitions are more than that, because TSMC's next-generation technology has been eyed by Apple.

According to media reports, TSMC's 3nm wafers have already been put into production, which means that TSMC's next-generation chip process has made major breakthroughs, and the president of TSMC has confirmed that trial production of 3nm process chips will begin in the second half of next year, and in the second half of 2022. Will start mass production of 3nm chips, which is much faster than everyone imagined.

Because many media have speculated that after 5nm chips are mass-produced, 3nm chips will not be mass-produced at the earliest, and they can appear one year in advance, proving that TSMC is quite confident in the practical application of its own advanced technology.

It stands to reason that this kind of advanced technology has never lacked customers, and even needs to line up to be on the TSMC supply list, but some media broke that Apple has already contracted TSMC's first batch of 3nm production capacity, let alone meat, even The soup did not leave a drop for other manufacturers.

The current news is that other manufacturers are striving to enter the second and third batch of TSMC’s 3nm production capacity supply lists.Of course, this type also includes Apple.As for why TSMC favors Apple so much, Xiaozhi analysis believes that there is nothing but Apple. A manufacturer dared to purchase so many advanced technology chips in the initial stage, and the iPhone has sales as a guarantee, and Apple is not bad for money. Of course, the two sides hit it off.
In addition, procurement costs are also issues that other manufacturers have to consider. Taking 5nm chips as an example, the wafer cost is about 16,000 US dollars, which is much higher than the 7nm chip’s 9346 US dollars. Based on this calculation, 3nm chip wafers The cost of a single piece will not be less than 25,000 US dollars, and the early-stage yield rate is not high, and there is basically no possibility of price reduction. Not everyone can bear the purchase quantity of tens of millions.

Due to the high procurement cost, such chips will only be used on flagship-level mobile phones, and only the iPhone can sell tens of millions of units to balance the high procurement costs, and it can also quickly popularize advanced production technology for TSMC to the world. , Comprehensive consideration, it is not surprising that Apple will become the best partner of TSMC in the early stage.

For Apple, it's really one step ahead, just step by step. In the next few years, it will not be so easy for your mobile phones to catch up with the iPhone.