Apple executives 'secretly visit' TSMC to secure first batch of 2nm production capacity

A few of Apple's high-level executives have 'secretly' visited TSMC, with Apple wanting to secure TSMC's first batch of 2nm production capacity.

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Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams met with TSMC president Wei Zhejia, with Apple wanting the first batches of 2nm production capacity, but TSMC benefits big time with NT$600 billion (around $18.6 billion USD or so), which is a new high for the Taiwanese contract chip manufacturer.

Apple has been working closely with TSMC for many years now, with the A-series processors used in iPhones, the long-term plan for the M-series processors inside of the latest iPads and MacBook laptops, with the "key driver" behind this being Apple COO Jeff Williams. The new wave of package production capacity and cooperation with TSMC for Apple's self-developed AI chips, is a very important step.

The big move to M-series processors by Apple might not seem like much right now, as they're powering millions of MacBooks and iPads, but it was significant as the M-series for the MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops meant that Apple moved away from using Intel CPUs. Intel lost a gigantic customer, and Apple started off with the M1, and has ballooned into the powerful M4 processor that launched recently in the new iPad Pro.

Apple is now looking at using the Arm architecture to create an in-house AI computing processor in a semi-customized form, utilizing TSMC's advanced process -- 2nm -- for mass production. The high computing performance of the AI server will see high power consumption, with Apple using TSMC's new SoIC advanced packaging process, which has the highest production cost, with the AI processor integrating a 3D stacking method.

Apple has its new M4 processor as a single chip made on TSMC's 3nm process node, with the chip featuring a chiplet design, with a powerful neural network engine for AI workloads. Up next, Apple has plans for three new M4 processors codenamed Donan, Brava, and Hidra to "fully seize" AI PC business opportunities. These new M4 processors are expected to enter the mass production stage at TSMC in the second half of this year.