A17 Bionic, M3 Yields At TSMC’s 3nm Course of Are Sitting At 55 P.c, Apple Stated To Pay For The Identified Good Dies Relatively Customary Wafer Costs
Even though Apple is rumored to have secured 90 p.c of TSMC’s 3nm chipsets for the A17 Bionic and M3, the yield price nonetheless has an extended method to go up from that 55 p.c determine. As a consequence of wafer manufacturing not delivering the perfect output, TSMC is claimed to be charging Apple for its good dies slightly than customary wafer costs.
Customary wafer costs can attain $17,000, however TSMC might solely change its enterprise mannequin with Apple for the A17 Bionic and M3 from H2 2024
At a yield price of 55 p.c, practically half of the wafers produced by TSMC on its 3nm course of might be categorized as a nasty batch, so it would have little use for Apple and its merchandise. Based on EE Occasions, Brett Simpson, senior analyst at Arete Analysis, believes that each events have been in a position to circumvent round this pricing impediment, with Apple solely paying for the great wafer batches as a substitute of paying customary pricing.
Figuring out that the California-based large is a profitable consumer, not only for the 3nm course of however for future cutting-edge nodes, TSMC possible obliged. We additionally reported earlier that TSMC’s month-to-month wafer output for 3nm chips may attain 100,000 items by the top of 2023, because it expects excessive demand for the iPhone 15 sequence. Nevertheless, with a yield price of 55 p.c, solely 55,000 wafers could possibly be thought-about ‘good’ and acceptable to Apple’s high quality requirements.
The one time TSMC’s greatest buyer would find yourself paying customary wafer pricing is that if the 3nm yield price reaches 70 p.c, however in line with the report, that’s not anticipated to occur earlier than the primary half of 2024. Subsequent 12 months, Apple may pay as much as $17,000 per wafer, assuming these yields choose up.


There was additionally a rumor doing the rounds stating that as a substitute of N3B, which is TSMC’s first 3nm iteration, Apple may change to the N3E course of in 2024, which is claimed to have higher yields and a lowered manufacturing price. Sadly, switching to the N3E course of might lead to a efficiency loss for the A17 Bionic and M3, so Apple’s determination is presently unknown at this stage.
The iPhone 15 is claimed to endure mass manufacturing in August, and for the reason that A17 Bionic is unique to the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max, we could have a greater thought of the flagship chipset’s yield price primarily based on the worldwide availability of those two units. For now, keep tuned for extra updates.
Information Supply: EE Occasions
Originally posted 2023-07-13 21:20:23.