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In a challenging environment for chip manufacturing, Apple partner TSMC is reportedly de-prioritizing orders intended for PCs and servers and instead focusing on automakers and Apple's needs.
Because so many products today contain silicon, the semiconductor shortage has affected production in many industries, with the auto industry being hit the hardest. The new DigiTimes report states that TSMC's primary focus is on integrated circuits and Apple chip orders, followed by orders from PC and server makers. TSMC is Apple's exclusive manufacturer for the A-series chips used in iPhone and iPad devices, as well as the M-series chips used in Apple Silicon Macs.
iPhone 13: Apple could deliver within the usual time frame
For the iPhone 13, or iPhone 2021, TSMC manufactures the new Apple-designed A15 chip using a 5-nanometer manufacturing process. Due to its size, Apple can logically negotiate more favorable terms, ensuring its orders are fulfilled first. Based on current information, it looks as if Apple could ramp up mass production of the iPhone 13 series in time to unveil the devices in September. With the new iPhone launching this fall, securing chip supply in the third quarter is a key focus for Cupertino. Earlier this year, the company stated that the chip shortage was limiting production of iPad and MacBook models. During its last quarterly earnings release, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was struggling to secure high volumes of chips from "legacy nodes," essentially suggesting that Apple's premium SoC chip orders from TSMC will not be significantly affected. (Photo by cherezoff / Bigstockphoto)
