Apple to be biggest customer of TSMC's upcoming 2nm process
What's the story
Apple is set to become the largest customer of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for its upcoming 2nm chips. The tech giant is expected to account for nearly half of TSMC's total production capacity. This comes as part of Apple's strategy to use TSMC's advanced 2nm process technology in its next-generation A20 chipset, likely powering the iPhone 18 series models.
Production plans
Mass production starts in Q4 2025
According to a DigiTimes report, TSMC plans to begin mass production of 2nm chips by Q4 2025. The company expects its output to meet demand until the end of 2026. This is because it is expanding production capacity at its Baoshan and Kaohsiung plants. Despite charging as much as $30,000 (roughly ₹26,29,600) per wafer for the technology, demand has never been higher for TSMC's advanced chips.
Market impact
Other companies adopting TSMC's 2nm process
Apple, AMD, Broadcom, Intel, MediaTek, and Qualcomm are among the first companies to adopt TSMC's 2nm process. Their output is expected to increase through 2026. By 2027, NVIDIA and other partners will join this list of customers. The report also mentions that besides NVIDIA, Amazon's Annapurna, Google, Marvell, Bitmain, and over 10 other major players will enter mass production with TSMC's advanced technology in the coming years.
Tech transition
Impact on Apple's future devices
Apple's transition to the 2nm process is expected to impact future devices. The iPhone 18 series, slated for a late-2026 launch, is expected to be the first lineup with this advanced technology. This timeline aligns with previous predictions from analysts and tipsters about Apple's adoption of this cutting-edge process for its 2026 iPhone lineup.