TSMC's first 2nm customer The reason why Apple booked most of its production capacity two years in advance!
Some time ago, the competition in the semiconductor manufacturing process became more and more fierce, especially the 3 2 nanometer process, Samsung, Intel, has begun to challenge TSMC. However, TSMC looks to be leading the way again, and has already made its first customer reservations for the 2nm process, which has not yet been launched.
According to foreign ** reports, TSMC's largest customer, TSMC (Apple), has obtained the vast majority of the capacity for the production of 2-nanometer chips.
According to tradition, Apple will order a next-generation chip from TSMC within two years. And TSMC will also start producing 2 nm chips in the second half of 2025, so this "news is true" statement is not wrong.
Why did Apple set the production rate two years earlier than TSMC's 2nm process? What will be the profound implications of this cooperation for China and the United States? This article will dissect this in detail.
1. Why did Apple launch the 2 nm process 2 years ahead of schedule?
TSMC's biggest customer is Apple's strong demand for advanced manufacturing technology. Starting in 2016, as TSMC entered mass production, Apple has become its largest user. In the first year of mass production of 3-nanometer chips, Apple already occupied the largest market share.
As for why there will be more orders on TSMC's 2 nm chips, which is why they will do it.
1.Ability to maintain technical leadership.
Some time ago, when the competition for smartphones became increasingly fierce, the performance of the chip has become an important indicator. In order to ensure that its chips can remain the industry leader in terms of performance, power consumption and size, Apple must borrow TSMC's latest manufacturing technology.
If the 2nm process capability can be introduced early, Apple will continue to be a technology leader in the next few years, and thus strengthen its position in the smart** space.
2.Reduced manufacturing expenses.
The development and production of 2 nanometer chips is a huge investment, and the more advanced the chip, the more expensive it is. However, as the production capacity increases, the manufacturing cost per wafer gradually decreases.
As the world's largest smartphone manufacturer, Apple can buy most of the high-end devices of Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., so they can seize the opportunity and get more bargaining chips when it is around 2 nm. If 2nm production can be determined early, Apple will be able to guarantee more chips at a lower cost for years to come.
3.Strengthen strategic collaboration with TSMC.
The close cooperation between Apple and TSMC is a complementary and win-win partnership. By bringing the 2 nm process forward, Apple will forge a closer relationship with TSMC and provide more reliable chips in the coming years.
At the same time, TSMC can also improve its own production level through cooperation with Apple and lay the foundation for future development. Such a partnership is very important for both China and the United States, especially in the current situation where the international semiconductor market is becoming increasingly white-hot.
2. What are the profound implications of this collaboration?
Apple, on the other hand, has more technology because it has a higher level of technology.
It is reported that TSMC's 2nm process has obvious advantages in transistor density, efficiency and power consumption. This project intends to utilize new materials and technologies such as advanced EUV lithography technology, new channel materials and metal oxide ESL, and integrate them with a series of packaging technologies such as CODOS and INFO.
TSMC claims that its 2nm process can integrate more than 100 billion transistors on a single wafer, laying a solid foundation for future applications such as high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.
If Apple had mastered this advanced chip earlier, it would have taken the lead in the processors of the new generation of iPhones, and in doing so, maintained its leading position in the smartphone space.
The partnership will enable TSMC to gain greater orders and revenue, while also further strengthening its dominant position in the world.
In fact, the development of advanced technology is inseparable from the strong support of users. Once TSMC develops the 2 nm process, but there are not many users, then TSMC's products and profits will be greatly affected.
However, thanks to a large number of orders from large customers such as Apple, TSMC can not only generate revenue, but also lay a solid foundation for the research and development of the 2nm process. In addition, due to the drive of large customers, more and more customers will come to negotiate in the future.
For now, if they place an order first, it will drive the development of the entire semiconductor industry. 2. The large-scale production of nano manufacturing technology will inevitably drive the development of related materials, equipment and service industries. And this will also drive more business opportunities and more jobs.
Epilogue. Overall, Apple has a large share of TSMC's 2 nm chip manufacturing capacity, which is significant for it to continue to dominate this cutthroat market. This alliance will bring profound inspiration to Apple and TSMC, and also promote the development of the entire semiconductor industry.