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Not in the sense of a publicly confirmed, year-long contract for every TSMC 3nm chip. A 2023 report citing industry sources said Apple was projected to receive all of TSMC’s first-generation 3nm output that year. Apple and TSMC did not publicly confirm that contract or allocation. The report concerned the early N3 ramp—not every 3nm process TSMC would produce over time.
What did the report mean by “all”?
On August 29, 2023, MacRumors, citing industry sources reported by DigiTimes, said Apple was projected to receive 100% of TSMC’s first-generation 3nm output in 2023. The report said the projection had earlier been nearly 90%, and attributed the change partly to delays in Intel’s wafer requirements.
That is a reported customer allocation during the process’s early ramp, not evidence that Apple bought every wafer TSMC could make across all 3nm technologies. TSMC’s 2023 annual report says its 3nm technology entered high-volume production with a strong ramp in the second half of the year. The same report lists more than 16 million 12-inch-equivalent wafers of annual capacity, but that figure is TSMC’s overall capacity—not its 3nm output.
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Was Apple’s 3nm supply exclusive for a year?
The available public statements do not establish a one-year exclusivity contract. The 100% figure was attributed to industry sources in the MacRumors report; neither Apple nor TSMC publicly confirmed the deal in the cited material. It is more accurate to say Apple was reportedly allocated all of the first-generation 3nm output available to customers during the 2023 ramp than to say it had a confirmed contract covering TSMC’s entire 3nm production for a year.
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The process distinction matters, too. The report concerned first-generation N3, often referred to as N3B, rather than every process in TSMC’s 3nm family. TSMC said N3E entered volume production in the fourth quarter of 2023. That was a distinct 3nm process with its own production timeline, not proof that Apple’s reported allocation extended to it.
Did Intel give up its 3nm allocation?
The report said Intel’s wafer requirements had been delayed and that this helped explain the revised projection for Apple. It did not establish that Intel formally relinquished a confirmed allocation, cancelled a contract, or transferred a specific number of wafers to Apple. “Intel gave up its allocation” goes beyond what the report supports.
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Which iPhone first used TSMC 3nm?
Apple announced on September 12, 2023 that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were powered by A17 Pro, which it described as the industry’s first 3nm chip. That connects Apple’s 2023 products to the first-generation 3nm ramp, but it does not independently verify the reported 100% allocation.
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- High-Purity PEEK Material Construction: Made from high-performance PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) polymer, offering excellent mechanical strength, low contamination characteristics, and suitability for semiconductor and precision laboratory environments.
- High Temperature & Chemical Resistance: PEEK material provides excellent thermal stability and supports short-term exposure up to approximately 300°C while maintaining strength and dimensional stability. Resistant to many chemicals and solvents.
- Flat Tip Wide Jaw Design: Features a flat tip and wide gripping jaw structure to provide stable and gentle handling of delicate wafers and flat samples while reducing surface contact impact.
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How did TSMC’s 3nm business develop?
| Period or process | What TSMC reported | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| N3, 2023 | In its Q4 2023 earnings transcript, TSMC said N3 had a strong ramp in the second half of 2023 and accounted for 6% of total wafer revenue that year. | N3 was in production, but the company’s reporting describes a growing process rather than an enduring Apple-only business. |
| N3E, Q4 2023 | TSMC said N3E entered volume production in the fourth quarter of 2023 and that almost all smartphone and high-performance-computing innovators were working with it on 3nm technologies. | N3E was a separate process ramp, and TSMC described interest beyond a single customer or device category. |
| 3nm, 2024 | TSMC’s 2024 annual report said 3nm was in its second year of volume ramp and represented 18% of total wafer revenue, driven by smartphone and high-performance-computing demand. | By 2024, TSMC described 3nm as a broader business. The 2023 allocation report should not be read as evidence of permanent exclusivity. |
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