Apple will scoop up all of TSMC’s first-generation 3-nm process chips this year

Apple will scoop up all of TSMC’s first-generation 3-nanometer process chips this year for upcoming iPhones, Macs, and iPads, according to DigiTimes (a subscription is required to read the article).

According to TechRadar, when compared to TSMC’s existing N5 manufacturing process, the company’s N3 technology promises to increase performance by 10% – 15% (at the same power) or cut power consumption by 25% – 30% (at the same performance), and improve transistor density by up to 1.7 times for some logic structures, up to 1.2 times for SRAM cells, and only up to 1.1 times for analog structures. 

Quoting unnamed “industry sources,” the DigiTimes article says Intel’s lack of 3nm orders means TSMC’s sales of 3nm chips will be lower this year. Still, while TSMC is expected to experience significant growth in the fourth quarter as it starts mass producing ‌3nm‌ chips for Apple, the company’s orders have been downgraded, DigiTimes claims.

The company’s 3nm‌ process output may be reduced to 50,000-60,000 wafers monthly in the fourth quarter, down from the 80,000-100,000 units previously anticipated, due to a cutback in Apple’s orders, the article says.