TSMC Produces Apple A16 Chips in Arizona Facility, a First on the American Soil

[AleksandarK]

TSMC has reportedly initiated production of Apple's last-generation A16 Bionic processors at its newly constructed Fab 21 in Arizona. This development comes significantly earlier than anticipated, with the facility's full-scale production initially scheduled for 2025. According to insights from industry expert Tim Culpan, the Arizona plant is already churning out a modest but noteworthy quantity of A16 Bionic chips. These processors are being manufactured using TSMC's NP4 4 nm semiconductor node. Culpan also hinted at a substantial increase in production capacity once the second stage of Fab 21's initial phase becomes operational.

This early start serves a critical function for TSMC, allowing the company to calibrate its advanced equipment and refine its manufacturing processes thoroughly. Using the well-established A16 Bionic design, TSMC can ensure its new facility meets the exacting standards required for next-generation semiconductor production. The news aligns with recent industry buzz suggesting that Fab 21 is already achieving yield rates comparable to TSMC's long-established Taiwanese plants—a remarkable feat for a newly launched facility. While current output remains limited, this milestone marks a significant step in TSMC's expansion into US-based chip manufacturing. With more fabs on American soil, companies can push domestic manufacturing and ensure that geopolitics don't hinder the vital supply chain.



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[dont whant to set it"']

@AleksandarK
"a fist" or a first in the title?

 

[AleksandarK]

@AleksandarK
"a fist" or a first in the title?

Fixed, thanks!

 

[bonehead123]

"T"he
"S"martest
"M"manufacturing
"C"ompany.....

Kudos to them for getting this fab up & running ahead of schedule, hopefully just the 1st of many, many more fabs here in the good ole US of A

 

[Wirko]

Not from AZ, and please ignore the price, but otherwise it fits.

 

[Steevo]

Meanwhile Intel is still begging taxpayers worldwide for handouts. Their new department prestige worldwide needs funded

 

[DaemonForce]

getting this fab up & running ahead of schedule

I just realized, yeah. Is that a product of American engineering or did we seriously brain drain TW to get things moving?
Either way that's a little terrifying.

 

[Readlight]

Who girl want to trust Apple technology. Better install third anonymous OS.

 

[Noyand]

I just realized, yeah. Is that a product of American engineering or did we seriously brain drain TW to get things moving?
Either way that's a little terrifying.

They might have forced the taiwanese work culture on American workers to get those results . They made headlines about the culture shock, but it seems effective. IFS should hire someone from Taiwan. Jensen and Su prove that those guys are often good at leading a company to success

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

They might have forced the taiwanese work culture on American workers to get those results . They made headlines about the culture shock, but it seems effective. IFS should hire someone from Taiwan. Jensen and Su prove that those guys are often good at leading a company to success

Yeah, its amazing what work can be done with a few human rights violations.

 

[Noyand]

Yeah, its amazing what work can be done with a few human rights violations.

…TSMC work culture is certainly harsh, but not on the level of human rights violations.

What the AAA gaming industry does in the west very similar : toxicity, workers abuse, potentially getting fired over small mishap or offending someone higher up, crunch time, being gaslighted if you complain for being ungrateful and so on.

I was half joking, but when you see that the company that’s leading by a miles the bleeding edge market uses such methods, you got to wonder just how hard working in that field became those past few years.

In Taiwan, TSMC is known for extremely rigorous working conditions, including 12-hour work days that extend into the weekends and calling employees into work in the middle of the night for emergencies. TSMC managers in Taiwan are also known to use harsh treatment and threaten workers with being fired for relatively minor failures.

 

[Visible Noise]

Meanwhile Intel is still begging taxpayers worldwide for handouts. Their new department prestige worldwide needs funded

I guess you missed the part where $6.6B USD of taxpayers money was given to TSMC.

 

[phints]

Both new iPhones come with A18 variants. A16 is 2 generations old, what am I missing here, they still produce old devices?

 

[londiste]

Both new iPhones come with A18 variants. A16 is 2 generations old, what am I missing here, they still produce old devices?

A16s are on N4P, A18s are on N3E. So TSMC is not producing in Arizona on the really cutting edge nodes yet.

 

[R-T-B]

Yeah, its amazing what work can be done with a few human rights violations.

It's also amazing how much a little hyperbole can enhance a point, but please.

 

[mechtech]

Yeah, its amazing what work can be done with a few human rights violations.

And/or good wages and the right people. Also, it definitely helps if it's been done before, and you have the blueprints and equipment in hand.

 

[Scrizz]

I just realized, yeah. Is that a product of American engineering or did we seriously brain drain TW to get things moving?
Either way that's a little terrifying.

They just shipped them over from TW to get the ball rolling.

 

[Wye]

That CPU is 2 generations in the past.
The latest is A18 Pro.

Tons of reads and comments and nobody notices that?

 

[yfn_ratchet]

That CPU is 2 generations in the past.
The latest is A18 Pro.

Tons of reads and comments and nobody notices that?

A16 is the 15/15 Plus chip, which I imagine are still in production and are very much still in demand. As many memes as there are of people jumping to the latest and greatest iPhone to slide into their prison wallet, a lot of people trading in will be attracted to the 'not old, but not the newest' line of iPhones as an upgrade to the 8, X, XR, 11... at a less egregious price.

Putting on our cracked pots, this could be signs of a 4th generation iPhone SE with an A16 chip sliding in a little while after the iPhone 16 line. It has been a while since they updated it...

 

[crlogic]

Putting on our cracked pots, this could be signs of a 4th generation iPhone SE with an A16 chip sliding in a little while after the iPhone 16 line. It has been a while since they updated it...

Also Apple TV and the base model iPad will likely get refreshed with A16 as well if that's the oldest available in production chip