Comment by flumpcakes
12 days ago
Which iPhone chips? The A19 in the latest iPhones use TSMC N3P which AFAIK Arizona is not equipped to produce.
It appears that TSMC are not deploying the latest nodes to US for multiple years after they've entered volume production in Taiwan.
> Key Milestones:
> First Fab: High-volume production on N4 process technology started in Q4 2024.
> Second Fab: Construction was completed on the fab structure in 2025. Volume production on N3 process technology targeted for 2028.
> Third Fab: In April 2025, TSMC broke ground on the site of the third fab, slated for N2 and A16 process technologies. Targeting volume production by the end of the decade.
> TSMC Arizona will play a crucial role in increasing U.S. production of advanced semiconductor technology and elevate the state of Arizona as an American center of innovation.
https://www.tsmc.com/static/abouttsmcaz/index.htm
> In July 2025, Wei indicated that the company would speed up its production timelines on multiple manufacturing facilities following an additional $100 billion investment in Arizona. He stated that the completion of a "gigafab" cluster totaling six facilities would account for 30 percent of TSMC's 2-nanometer and more advanced capacity semiconductor production within the state.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2025/07/...
Exactly - so how are the majority of iPhone chips made in the Arizona fab when it can't do the newer node they are using?