Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, AMD Secure TSMC's 3nm Capacity Until 2026

Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and AMD have fully booked TSMC's 3nm manufacturing through 2026. The shift from AI servers and high-performance computing applications to AI phones is driving up demand for sophisticated process chips. TSMC's 3nm range comprises N3, N3E, N3P, N3X, and N3A, which cater to a variety of applications and unique requirements.

Credit: TSMC

According to Taiwanese media site Economic Daily News, the customer wait runs until 2026, demonstrating the enormous demand for TSMC's advanced production techniques.

TSMC's 3nm lineup comprises the N3, N3E, N3P, N3X, and N3A. N3E, which began mass production in late 2023, focuses on AI accelerators, high-end smartphones, and data centres. N3P is scheduled to go into scale production in the second half of this year and will be the dominant chip technology for mainstream applications such as mobile devices, consumer electronics, base stations, and networking by 2026. N3X and N3A are intended to suit specific requirements, such as high-performance computing and automotive clients.

The planned high-end processors from major players this year will all use the 3nm technology. In September, Apple will unveil the M4 CPUs and the next-generation A18 processors for its new iPhone 16 series. Qualcomm will announce its flagship mobile platform, Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, while Nvidia will unveil the RTX 50 series graphics cards. AMD will introduce the fifth-generation EPYC Turin CPUs in the second half of the year, with the MI350 series set to appear next year.

As the exclusive supplier of Apple's A-series processors for the new iPhones, TSMC will experience a significant increase in demand for its 3nm orders. The Economic Daily News report forecasts that Apple's iPhone 16 series this year will boost sales volume by 5% year-over-year to 92-95 million units.

To maintain a reliable supply over the next two years, TSMC plans to transition some of its 5 nm equipment to enable 3 nm manufacture. According to industry insiders, TSMC may expand its 3nm wafer output to 120,000-180,000 per month.

TSMC led the semiconductor foundry industry in the first quarter, accounting for $18.85 billion in revenue and 61.7% of the market share. Samsung followed with $3.36 billion in revenue and an 11% market share, while SMIC came in third with $1.75 billion in revenue and a 5.7% market share.

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• Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and AMD have fully booked TSMC's 3nm process to its full capacity until 2026.

• The surge in demand for advanced process chips is driven by the transition of AI servers and high-performance computing applications to AI phones.

• TSMC's 3nm lineup includes N3, N3E, N3P, N3X, and N3A, catering to various applications and customised demands.

Source: TECHNODE