Apple is in the final stage of verifying its first cutting-edge processor chips made at TSMC’s plant in Arizona, Nikkei Asia reported on January 14, 2025.
The report
- The chips are A16 Bionic processors on TSMC’s 4-nanometer process, the first cutting-edge production line on USA soil.
- TSMC had already tested the chips, and Apple was running its own full verification, according to people familiar with the matter.
- The first mass-produced chips were expected as early as the first quarter of 2025.
- The plant has more than 2,000 employees, including engineers from Taiwan, USA university graduates and military veterans working as technicians.
- BGR noted TSMC Arizona had also begun making Apple Watch chips on the same process.
Why it matters for Made in USA
An iPhone is still assembled abroad, but its main processor being made in Arizona is a big shift for the USA chip supply chain. Apple later said it would buy more than 19 billion USA-made chips in 2025; see our May 2025 report.
FAQ
Which chip?
The A16 Bionic, made on TSMC’s 4-nanometer process.
Where is the plant?
Near Phoenix, Arizona.
Does this make the iPhone USA-made?
No. The phones are still assembled abroad.
Source & credit
Source: Nikkei Asia, January 14, 2025: “Apple in final stages of verifying TSMC’s ‘Made in USA’ chips”. Additional reporting via BGR.