Apple's demand for 3nm chips is huge, and TSMC's wafer factory utilization rate remains above 70%
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Update time : 2023-03-11 12:04:54
TSMC's 2023 quarter 1 fab utilization is being dragged down by a rapid slowdown in 7nm and 6nm chip orders, but its overall fab utilization can still remain at 70% or more, sources said.
SMC continues to increase the capacity utilization rate of its 3-nanometer process technology, which is expected to approach 50% by the end of March, the sources said. The foundry will also increase process output to 50,000-55,000 pieces per month in March, with Apple as the main customer.
It was previously reported that Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 Pro model is expected to use the A17 Bionic processor, which is Apple's first iPhone chip based on TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process, also known as N3E.
The first generation 3nm process is said to be 35% more power efficient than TSMC's 5nm N4 manufacturing process, which is used to make iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max A16 Bionic chips. The N3 technology will also offer significant performance improvements compared to chips currently fabricated in the 5nm process.
Apple's next-generation 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models are expected to feature the M3 chip, which may also be manufactured on a 3nm process to further improve performance and energy efficiency. Apple is also reportedly planning to release an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip, which and its higher-end Pro and Max versions are based on TSMC's second-generation 5nm process.
New AI processor orders from Nvidia and AMD, as well as Apple's new iPhone chips, are expected to help TSMC avoid further declines in plant utilization in the second quarter, DigiTimes sources said.
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