Apple is clearly interested in becoming one of the Taiwanese manufacturer’s first 2nm customers. Although we’re still a long way from a volume production launch, the trial phase of this process should start soon. However, for the next few months and for a large part of production, the 3nm process is likely to be used for future Apple SoCs. Taiwanese sources have confirmed that Apple has secured around 90% of TSMC’s 3nm production. It is also rumored that Apple will use the more efficient N3E process for its A17 Bionic and M3 SoCs in 2024. This seems to mean that a 2nm arrival is not on the agenda until late 2025 at best. In January of this year, TSMC President Wei Zhejia announced that progress in the development of the 2nm process had exceeded expectations. In his view, mass production would be scheduled to start in 2025.
Apple first on 2nm, but not for a while yet
However, 2nm is already on the minds of TSMC’s main partners, and Nvidia is also among the contenders. Samsung’s recent progress on 3nm suggests a certain stagnation in the use of etching processes. A situation that could eventually ease production costs after several years of inflation.
