Report: Apple Watch SiPs are now coming from the USA
The "onshoring" of certain important components continues at Apple: Now the system-in-a-packages of the Group's computer watch are said to be among them.
Person with an Apple Watch: Up to now, the chips used have come from Taiwan, but this is changing.
(Image: mpohodzhay / Shutterstock.com)
After the older A16 SoC from the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15, Apple is now said to have brought another chip product series to the TSMC plant in Arizona. This is reported by Taiwan-based technology journalist Tim Culpan in his newsletter. According to the information, this is a system-in-a-package (SiP) from the Apple Watch, or more precisely, apparently the S9. This is found in the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2 (both from 2023), among others. Apple last introduced the S10 with the Apple Watch Series 10 in September, which is supposed to be slightly more energy-efficient. This will apparently continue to be manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan.
TSMC board meets in Arizona
With the start of production, Apple is continuing its attempts to comprehensively onshore the manufacture of important components. However, it remains unclear what quantities are involved. Culpan is also only “99 percent” sure that it is the S9 SiP, but anything else would be rather unusual. In addition, the S9 itself is based on the A16 Bionic (in the N4P process), which, as mentioned, is already being built in Arizona.
Videos by heise
Neither TSMC nor Apple confirmed the report. Recently, it had become quiet about the factory in Arizona, at least publicly. A celebration with US President Joe Biden was canceled in December after his party lost the elections. According to Culpan, TSMC is currently preparing a (apparently first) board meeting in the USA. It is planned for February and would be highly symbolic. It is unclear whether the new US President Donald Trump will attend this event.
The fastest chips remain in Taiwan
TSMC is continuing to expand production in Arizona. However, the fastest and most modern chips, including their production processes, will remain in Taiwan. In addition, the number of units produced in the N4P process is reportedly limited. TSMC also produces the A16 Bionic more frequently in Taiwan than in Arizona.
In addition, there is a great dependence on workers from TSMC's home country: according to reports, half of the employees at the fab in Arizona come from Taiwan. At the end of December, the New York Times reported in detail about a “Tiny Taipei” that had emerged in the region around Phoenix. Thousands of people from Taiwan now work at TSMC and its suppliers.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(bsc)
