Tech Desk
Sep 18, 2024
Apple’s A16 chipsets are now said to be manufactured on American soil at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC’s) Arizona plant.
Previously two years ago, the A16 chipset, which launched in the iPhone 14 Pro is now reportedly being manufactured in small but impactful quantities at TSMC’s Fab 21 facility in Arizona.
The chips are claimed to be manufactured using the same 4nm N4P process used in TSMC's Taiwan factories to assure consistency in quality and performance. Earlier reports indicated that TSMC’s Arizona plant is set to start producing advanced chips for Apple before the end of 2024.
The facility's production is reported to be setup majorly when the second stage of its first phase is completed, with full-scale manufacturing projected for the first half of 2025.
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However, it's unclear which specific Apple devices will use these Arizona-made A16 chips, but they could potentially turn up in an upcoming iPad model or — more likely — the next-generation iPhone SE, given that rumours hint at the iPhone SE 4 will be based on the iPhone 14, in which the A16 processor was first unveiled.
The development is a big step in knowing the goals of the $39 billion CHIPS and Science Act, a United States (US) federal statute signed into law by President Biden that focuses on strengthening domestic semiconductor production.
TSMC continues to improve its processes at the Arizona facility, Cuplan said that his sources suggest that A16 manufacturing yields could approach parity with those achieved in Taiwan in the coming months.
