Apple will be one of TSMC’s first 2nm customers

Two months prior, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) delineated the trajectory for its advanced semiconductor manufacturing process, encompassing the particulars of 3nm and 2nm process nodes. This year, TSMC will unveil its enhanced N3E process, possessing reduced cost and superior economic viability. Following this, iterations such as N3P, N3X, and N3AE will be introduced, designed to cater to a diverse spectrum of client requirements. The 2nm process node will adopt the Gate-All-Around FET (GAAFET) architecture transistor, persisting in its reliance on the current Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology.

As reported by Wccftech, despite the stretch of time remaining before TSMC’s 2nm enters mass production, pertinent chip design companies have already embarked on initiatives, with Apple slated to be one of the first clients of this process node. Beyond Apple, NVIDIA potentially emerges as another prospective inaugural client.

Word has it that Apple has instigated trial production of TSMC’s 2nm process, deploying roughly a thousand staff members to a nascent wafer fab named “Fab 20”. Although the 3nm process node offers a variety of techniques, Apple appears to possess a futuristic focus, driven, to a certain extent, by the iPhone series being its primary revenue source, and the pivotal A-series chips necessitating cutting-edge processes.

Apple has already secured approximately 90% of TSMC’s 3nm capacity and, considering its advantageous position in the competitive market, is likely to pay a premium to its supply chain partners to secure the first shipment quantity. Aligning with TSMC’s timeline, the N2 process is anticipated to be prepared for risk production by the end of 2024 and to enter mass production by the end of 2025, with clients receiving the first batch of 2nm chips in 2026.