Apple May Delay 2nm Chipsets for iPhone 17 Pro As TSMC Struggles With Wafer Yield: Report

TSMC is rated ahead in terms of customer acquisition and yield compared to competitors like Samsung Electronics, as per the report.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 2 January 2025 11:18 IST

Apple May Delay 2nm Chipsets for iPhone 17 Pro As TSMC Struggles With Wafer Yield: Report

Photo Credit: Apple

iPhone 17 is the purported successor to iPhone 16 and may be powered by Apple's 3nm SoC

Highlights

2nm chips for iPhone may be postponed until 2026 due to production delays
TSMC’s 2nm chip yield is said to be at 60 percent
Apple is reported to stick with 3nm chips for iPhone 17

Apple was speculated to use 2nm chipsets to power its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models but that may not be the case anymore, according to a report. The Cupertino-based technology giant could reportedly postpone its plans by up to 12 months due to Wafer Yield issues faced by TSMC. Thus, the chips are yet to be certified for mass production and the application process (AP) period for 2nm chips for iPhone may be delayed to 2026.

Delay for 2nm Chipsets

According to a report from South Korea, Apple was previously expected to enter the production of APs for the iPhone 17 series or iPhone 18 series. However, it has not entered mass production as of now. While TSMC, which is the sole chipmaker for iPhone and Mac, is rated ahead in terms of customer acquisition and yield compared to competitors like Samsung Electronics, it is still struggling with wafer yield.

The report suggests that customers will have to shell out more money as the 2nm process is yet to be properly demonstrated and demand for testing is seeing an increase. However, the company aims to invest in expanding its facility for the production of approximately 1,30,000 units in 2026 at the wafer-based 10,000 level. Through facility investment in Arizona, it is reported to have plans for increasing productivity by 20,000 units to a total of 1,40,000 units worldwide.

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As per a previous report, TSMC's 2nm chip has a stable yield of 60 percent but customers may have to pay up to $30,000 (roughly Rs. 26,000) per wafer. To address this, Apple reportedly aims to stick with the 3nm chipset for its purported iPhone 17 series in 2025 as it provides time for TSMC to improve its yield.

Although TSMC is Apple's sole chip supplier for the iPhone and Mac, it also serves other clients such as Nvidia and Qualcomm. The two companies are also said to be in talks with Samsung Electronics if the situation does not improve.

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Further reading: Apple, iPhone 17, iPhone, TSMC

Shaurya Tomer

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Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More