Apple, AMD, and Nvidia indicate they plan to buy chips from TSMC's two future Arizona fabs, expected to open in 2024 and 2026
Kif Leswing / CNBC :
CNBC Kif Leswing
Context & Ripple Effects
TSMC had just raised the Arizona plan from an initial 5nm premise to 4nm production at the first fab and committed to a second site for 3nm chips, part of a $40B Arizona expansion. Apple, AMD, and Nvidia signaling demand ties named customers to that larger capacity buildout.
Later coverage shows the customer commitment developing into procurement: Apple planned to source chips from TSMC's expanding Arizona operations, while TSMC's second-fab tool move was reported as part of an effort to accelerate US production.
First-order effects
- TSMC gains visible prospective demand from Apple, AMD, and Nvidia for both planned Arizona fabs, strengthening the commercial case for its 2024 and 2026 production ramps.
- Apple, AMD, and Nvidia add a US-based TSMC supply option as the foundry brings 4nm and then 3nm capacity online.
Second-order effects
- TSMC's Arizona execution becomes more consequential for its three indicated customers: capacity, process-node timing, and staffing must align with their product plans rather than merely with TSMC's construction schedule.
- The reported customer interest supports TSMC's move to make Arizona a multi-fab operation, while later recruiting difficulties in Arizona show that committed demand alone does not remove the local operating constraint.
Third-order effects
- If major chip designers continue precommitting to domestic foundry output, advanced-chip supply will be allocated through longer-term capacity relationships rather than treated as readily interchangeable fab capacity.
- The Arizona buildout points to a more geographically distributed leading-edge manufacturing model, but its scale will depend on whether TSMC can convert announced fabs into reliably staffed production lines.
The trend: Leading chip designers are anchoring future product supply in contracted, geographically diversified foundry capacity.
Related: The contracted semiconductor cycle · Semiconductor capacity lag · TSMC · Apple · TSMC expands Arizona investment to $40B
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Discussion
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@tim_cook
Tim Cook
on x
Apple silicon unlocks a new level of performance for our users. And soon, many of these chips can be stamped “Made in America.” The opening of TSMC's plant in Arizona marks a new era of advanced manufacturing in the U.S. — and we are proud to become the site's largest customer. h…
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@markgurman
Mark Gurman
on x
Tim Cook is speaking at an event at the TSMC plant in Arizona and confirms our earlier story that Apple chips will be built in the future in the US at this plant, opening in 2024. @debbywuintaipei on the scene. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
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@carlquintanilla
Carl Quintanilla
on x
* Taiwan Semi: $40b * Intel: $20b * Micron: $100b * Samsung: $200b (??) The U.S. chip boom “is just beginning.” @mikeallen @axios $INTC $TSM $MU #USIndustrialPolicy https://www.axios.com/...
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@ustechworkers
@ustechworkers
on x
When are you making the iPhone in America? https://twitter.com/...
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@greg_price11
Greg Price
on x
Apple CEO Tim Cook speaking ahead of Biden at the TSMC factory in Arizona: “We are going to continue to design and engineer our core products in the United States, just as we always have, and we are going to continue to deepen our investments in the us economy.” https://twitter.c…
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@herbieziskend46
Herbie Ziskend
on x
.@tim_cook: “And now, thanks to the hard work of so many people, these chips can be proudly stamped MADE IN AMERICA.” https://www.cnbc.com/...
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@craigchamberlin
Craig Chamberlin
on x
Keyword. DESIGN. But we will still manufacture our products with the blood and sweat of human beings in countries who do not value human rights. https://twitter.com/...
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@reporterestes
Christina Estes
on x
Arizona Gov. @DougDucey says @Apple's decision to source chips from TSMC is a point of pride and major economic win. https://twitter.com/...
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@firstadopter
Tae Kim
on x
Nvidia tells Barron's the chip company expects to use Taiwan Semiconductor's Arizona fabs $NVDA https://www.barrons.com/... https://twitter.com/...
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@bearforce_won
@bearforce_won
on x
IMO the fact that this is happening at all is a more important trend line to follow than the pitch width of N4 vs N5 or the fact that AZ N3 will be a node behind at launch.
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@bearforce_won
@bearforce_won
on x
Surprised at the cynicism emanating from the pundit class regarding TSMC/Arizona. https://stratechery.com/...
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@scottlincicome
Scott Lincicome
on x
“To supply just Apple, the Taiwanese firm would need to expand its US footprint by a further seven times if the Cupertino company was to fully source its chips from home soil. That's just not going to happen.” https://twitter.com/...
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@70sbachchan
Albert Pinto
on x
33/ $40 billion chip factory that TSMC is building in Arizona after Congressional carrots is being hailed as largest FDI in US history @tculpan piece on why it's a drop in the bucket -To supply Apple alone from homegrown chips requires it to be 7X bigger https://www.bloomberg.com…
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@scottlincicome
Scott Lincicome
on x
A refreshing, much-needed dose of cold water on those “gamechanging” US industrial policy plans. https://twitter.com/...
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@joshnbcnews
Josh Lederman
on x
Happening now: @Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks here in Phoenix ahead of Biden's arrival at new $40 billion chip megafactory. Apple uses chips from this Taiwanese company https://twitter.com/...
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@joedanareports
Joe Dana
on x
Apple CEO Tim Cook speaking ahead of President Biden at TSMC microchip plant in north Phoenix. “These chips will be proudly stamped ‘Made in America’.” @12News https://twitter.com/...
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@scuvybob
@scuvybob
on x
The US doesn't need chip independence. All it needs is for the chip industry to reorient away from China to more US-friendly countries. That's inevitable due to a mix of Chinese policies and worsening Chinese labor shortages due to the one-child policy. https://twitter.com/...
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@thestalwart
Joe Weisenthal
on x
Read @tculpan throwing some cold water on TSMC's new Arizona facility and what it means for the US chips industry more broadly https://www.bloomberg.com/...
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@tculpan
Tim Culpan
on x
When TSMC hosted its 30th birthday, the CEOs of key partners went to Taiwan to celebrate: Nvidia, Qualcomm, Broadcom, ADI, ARM, ASML. It was an important show of face. Not Apple. Tim Cook didn't even show up. He sent his COO. Here he is to share the US limelight, though. https://…