Rumor has Intel secured most of TSMC's 3nm process production space
🟩 Will Intel be your primary customer?
It seems that Intel is planning to produce three types of server processors and one type of graphics chip with the TSMC 3nm process. Production will begin with 4,000 wafers per month in the second quarter of 2022 (April-June) on TSMC’s Tainan Fab 18b, and is expected to reach 100 million wafers per month once mass production gets off the ground.
🟩Bringing forward the 3nm process mass production plan?
Intel has moved its production consignment plan to TSMC one year ahead of schedule compared to the original plan in order to compete with AMD and Apple due to the delay in its 7nm process. This could make Intel the first customer to replace Apple, which was the first to manufacture SoCs leveraging TSMC’s state-of-the-art processes. Apple is currently TSMC’s only customer of 5nm processes, a major customer accounting for 25% of total revenue.
🟩 Apple 3nm product
Apple’s A-series chips are all manufactured by TSMC. The latest generation of A15 processors is already in production this year, and the A16 chip will be produced in the second half of 2022 in a 3nm process. The iPhone is scheduled to be launched in 2022 and will use a 4nm process of 5nm performance improvement process, because if it goes on sale around September, the chip will need to be mass-produced in April, and the 3nm process product will not be available in time.
🟩Summary
Is TSMC’s 3nm key customer likely to be Intel ahead of mass production plans?
If the rumors are true, TSMC may have prioritized Intel over Apple because it could no longer receive orders from Huawei, Apple’s next major customer.
