Apple A17 Chip May Prioritise Battery Life Over Power

TSMC has recently started mass producing chips using its new 3nm process. As is the case with ever smaller processes, this will lead to more efficient chips, which will likely be a benefit to the iPhone 15 family that Apple will inevitably release next year.

As Bloomberg reports, “TSMC says that its 3nm processes offer better performance than its 5nm chips, while requiring about 35% less power”. And while the performance part is about as vague as can be, the efficiency part is probably something to expect from what Apple will probably call the A17 Bionic chip for next year’s iPhone 15 range.

With that being said, the devices most likely to benefit from the improved power efficiency are the Pro versions of the iPhone 15. Presumably, Apple is keeping the Always-On display exclusive to these models. While their actual impact on battery life vary from user to user, these would likely be the devices that need the improved efficiency to counter the increased battery drain.

This year, with the iPhone 14 range, Apple also only gave its newest chip, the A16 Bionic, to the Pro models. If the company continues this trend, as well as giving only these versions the Always-On display, then the improved efficiency of the new chips would be exactly what the iPhone 15 Pro models need.

Overall it sounds like good news for the Pro models of the iPhone 15 that is expected to be announced late next year. Not only is it getting a new chip made with a new process, the chip also happens to tout efficiency as one of its main improvements. Though if Apple decided to maintain the difference between the base and Pro models of the iPhone 14 in the iPhone 15 range next year, it still gives the impression that the non-Pro models are being sidelined. Not only will they be having one less feature, but they will also be getting a year-old chipset by the time of release.

Rumour Suggests Next iPhone SE Retains Predecessor’s Design; Gains 5G And A15 Chip

Apple is said to be releasing a new entry to its more occasional smartphone series, the iPhone SE, sometime in early 2022. According to Japanese blog Macotakara, the upcoming model will allegedly come with recent hardware for its core internals, but retains its predecessor’s overall design.

In regards to the latter, this means that the new SE will still sport the iPhone 8’s look once more. Therefore, it may also feature a 4.7-inch LCD display with large upper and lower bezels, a curved aluminium frame, and a single rear camera setup. Concurrently, this would see the return of the Touch ID-enabled Home Button below the phone’s screen as well.

As for hardware, Macotakara suggests the next-gen iPhone SE will be equipped with the 5G-enabled A15 chip – the same SoC that is featured in the brand’s current generation iPhone 13 series. Unfortunately, no information regarding its battery or its front and rear camera sensors were shared by the Apple-specialised Japanese blog. Lastly, it is said that the new SE will begin production this December, and is expected to be launched later in Spring 2022.

This actually isn’t the first time that Apple is rumoured to be releasing a follow-up model to its iPhone SE line-up. Back in June, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo similarly suggested a new iteration of the phone with upgraded internals is currently in the works, and that it would also feature the same chassis as its predecessor. While the rumours are seemingly corroborating with each other, it is still worth reminding that both of which are unofficially sourced and may end up to be inaccurate in the end.

Sony And TSMC Reportedly Joining Forces To Tackle Chip Shortage With Japan’s Help

Japanese tech company Sony and Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC may be joining forces to help tackle the ongoing global chip shortage, according to reports published independently by Reuters and Nikkei. It is said that both companies are considering a partnership to co-establish a new semiconductor factory in Japan, which is expected to be up and running by 2024.

People familiar with the matter told the publications that the new plant will be based at a Sony-owned location in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, close to the company’s own image sensor factory (shown above). The project is said to cost US$7 billion in investment from both Sony and TSMC, with half of it reportedly covered by the Japanese government. The new factory will be managed by the Taiwanese semiconductor giant, the sources added.

Reuters and Nikkei reports that the plant would manufacture chips for cameras, cars and other purposes – all of which have recently seen a drop in production capacity due to the ongoing shortage. Both Sony and TSMC declined to comment regarding this potential partnership when approached by the publications. Meanwhile, Nikkei believes that Japanese automotive parts manufacturer Denso is also interested in the project.

If accurate, the new factory by Sony and TSMC would definitely contribute to other efforts that are also aiming to ramp up the manufacturing of semiconductors. However, it will still take some time until it is able to help with the production, seeing that the plant will only be operational in 2024. Moreover, Sony and TSMC themselves – as well as other major companies such as IBM and Foxconn – have noted that the chip shortage will likely continue for another few years until the strong demand for semiconductors could be met.

Samsung Wants To Make An AI Chip That Mimics The Human Brain

Samsung, together with researchers from Harvard University, have published a paper that puts forth their idea of making neuromorphic chips, semiconductor technology that mimics the human brain by “copying and pasting”. The Perspective paper, published in Nature Electronics, propose that the feat can be achieved by – in their own words – copying the brain’s neuronal connection map using a nanoelectrode array and pasting the map onto a high-density three-dimensional network of solid-state memories, such as commercial SSDs or resistive RAM.

They claim that the copy and paste method would create a chip that shares brain-like traits such as running on low power, facile learning, adaptation to environment, autonomy, and even cognition. Each of the memory drives would be programmed so that its conductance represents the strength of each neuronal connection in the copied map.

The human brain has an estimated 100 billion neurons, so Samsung says that the ultimate neuromorphic chip will require 100 trillion or so memories. The idea of neuromorphic engineering has been around since the 1980s, but has never been achieved due to its complexity.

The researchers say that the neuronal connection map is the key to reverse engineering how our brains work and applying them in our computers. It’s probably still a long way away from becoming a reality, so for now, we’ll have to be content with AI that swerves your vacuum away from hitting dog poo.

China’s SMIC To Invest US$8.87 Billion Into New Chip Plant

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), the Chinese chipmaker that came into the spotlight at the height of the US sanctions imposed by the former Trump administration, is set to open up a new foundry. The new plant will be based in Shanghai and is expected to compete with other chipmakers, such as TSMC and Samsung.

To that end, SMIC says that it is prepared to invest upwards of US$8.87 billion (~RM36.77 billion) into the facility’s construction and has even signed an agreement with a government-back entity for the city of Shanghai. Specifically, the area in which the plant is expected to be built will be located within the Lingang Special Area of China Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Once the plant is ready, SMIC says that it plans to have the foundry ready to fabricate and churn out as many as 100000 wafers per month. As for the nature and size of the chips, reports say that the plant will be using 28nm production technology and older, rather than more modern and thinner wafers. For that matter, these larger chips are used in the production of image sensors, Wi-Fi chips, and microcontrollers, among other components that are currently in short supply globally.

The chip sector and its manufacturing process have been a flashpoint between the US and China, ever since the former began imposing sanctions on Chinese companies back in 2019. As many of you will remember, Huawei was the first casualty in the ongoing trade war between the two economic powerhouses. Then, back in September last year, the US instituted a ban on SMIC, citing national security concerns and reports that the chipmaker was involved with the Chinese military.

It also doesn’t help that the US is currently trying to block Wise Road Capital, a China-based private equity group, from purchasing the Korean Magnachip Semiconductor Corp for the sum of US$1.4 billion (~RM5.8 billion). Unsurprisingly, the US says that such an acquisition by the firm poses a risk to the “national security of the United States”.

TSMC Allegedly Increasing Chip Prices By 20 Percent Amidst Ongoing Shortage

TSMC is reportedly increasing the prices of its chips, the company told its clients earlier in the week. According to a report by WSJ (paywall), the semiconductor manufacturer plans on raising its prices by as much as 10% for its advanced chips and 20% for less advanced components.

The announcement clearly isn’t happy or welcoming news, given that the world is still suffering from an ongoing chip shortage that many experts and industry leaders say could last well into 2022 and the early months of 2023. On top of that, TSMC’s price hike will most definitely be reflected within the final bill of finished products that use its components.

That list, by the way, unsurprisingly includes electronic goods like laptops, phones, PC components, and game consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Product that, by the way, are made by equally big name brands like Apple, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm, to name a few.

There is, of course, a silver lining of sorts in TSMC’s announcements. Raising the prices means that, for the first time since the pandemic began, demand for its chips could ultimately reduce and, in turn, take some pressure off already constricted supplies. At least, until its new factories in the US and Taiwan become operational.

Taiwan’s Water-Dependent Chip Industry Faces Worst Drought In Country’s History

As if the global pandemic isn’t enough, Taiwan’s chip industry is facing the worst drought in the island’s history. The government said it would tighten water rationing in major chip-making hubs Hsinchu and Taichung from 1 June onwards if there isn’t significant rainfall by then, Reuters said.

The production of chips requires astounding amounts of water. And as the island produces a good chunk of the world’s semiconductor chips, we may be looking at further supply disruptions down the road.

Taiwan’s economy ministry would require companies in the two aforementioned hubs to slash water consumption by 17% if rain doesn’t come. Illustrating the seriousness of the crisis, reservoirs in the island’s central and southern regions now sat below 5% of capacity, the ministry said.

The drought has also caused two major islandwide blackouts in less than a week, as the country’s hydroelectric plants are obviously affected by the lack of water.

TSMC, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of chips, has factories in both Hsinchu and Taichung, but told Reuters that it had seen no impact on production. The company said it would continue to cut its water use and compensate by buying supplies from tanker trucks for some foundries.

The tech and automotive industries have seen crippling production delays due to a global shortage of chips. It’s unclear how or if the drought in Taiwan will exacerbate the ongoing crisis. But TSMC itself expects the shortage to last throughout this year and potentially into the next.

US Looking To Open Up To 10 New Chip Factories

If a proposed US congressional bill is passed, the country could see the opening of up to 10 new chip-making plants, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

According to Reuters, Raimondo said the US$52 billion (~RM215 billion) bill, which currently seems to have bipartisan support, would generate “US$150 billion-plus” in investment in chip production and research.

“We just need the federal money … to unlock private capital,” Raimondo said. “It could be seven, could be eight, could be nine, could be 10 new factories in America by the time we’re done.”

As reported before, the US is keen to ramp up its domestic chip production capacity in the face of a global chip shortage and an escalating rivalry with China. The shortage has caused production issues for US companies from Ford to Apple, highlighting a critical vulnerability in the nation’s supply chain.

US President Joe Biden has been seeking funding for chip production in the country. Accordingly, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer last week unveiled a bill that would pour US$52 billion into domestic chip production and research over five years.

Industry groups, which have loudly pleaded for more chip investment, often highlight the fact that the US share of global chip-making capacity fell from 37% in 1990 to just 12% today.

IBM Boss Says Chip Shortage Could Continue For A Few Years

IBM President Jim Whitehurst said it could be a “few years” before the global chip shortage eases. His remarks put him in general agreement with other industry players, who also believe that the crisis won’t be ending any time soon.

Speaking to BBC World Business News, Whitehurst pointed to the time gaps between when a “technology” is developed, when a chip factory is constructed, and when the chips finally come out.

“So frankly, we are looking at couple of years… before we get enough incremental capacity online to alleviate all aspects of the chip shortage,” he said.

Taiwanese manufacturing giants TSMC and Foxconn both see the chip shortage possibly extending into 2022. The crisis has already caused havoc across tech industries. Apple has warned of iPad and Mac shortages, while Sony doesn’t expect to keep pace with the spectacular demand for its Playstation 5 through next year.

The COVID-19 pandemic crippled worldwide chip production and also coincided with a breakdown in US-China relations, leading to chip-hoarding by China and a growing chip-making race between the two countries.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Warns Chip Shortage Could Affect Its iPad, Mac Supply

Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that the ongoing global chip shortage could squeeze its supply of M1-powered products, like the new iPad Pro and iMac 2021, later this year.

“The shortages primarily affect ‌iPad‌ and Mac,” Cook told analysts, according to the BBC. “We have a good handle on our demand – but what everybody else is doing, I don’t know.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple delayed its production for the Macbook and iPad, pushing back a portion of its component order for the two products from the first half of the year to the second half.

Cook said the company would do its best to confront these shortages, but added that it would be “very, very difficult” to predict when they would end.

Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC, which makes chips for Apple, warned that the chip shortage might last into 2022, with an easing only happening in 2023. The company is spending an extraordinary US$100 billion (~RM413.8 billion) over the next three years to boost the chip-making capacity of its plants.

Foxconn, which also counts Apple as a client, sees the shortage running well into the second quarter of next year. So there’s at least some agreement on the time frame.

As we’ve noted before, a global chip shortage is currently strangling the supply of everything from cars and smartphones to graphic cards and gaming consoles. Largely caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage has been notably worsened by rising trade and political tensions between the US and China.

Apple M2 Chip Enters Production; Could Launch In July

The Apple M1 chip has been put into a fair number of the company’s new products. But it looks like the iPhone maker is already gearing up for the chip’s successor, likely to be known as the M2. A new report indicates that the chip has entered production this month.

Sources to Nikkei say that these new M2 chips will power Macs that will be launched as soon as July. This may mean that Apple will be officially announcing these M2 chips, as well as the new Macs, during WWDC in June. As we’ve seen with the inclusion of the M1 in the iPad Pro, the new M2 will likely also make its way to the company’s other devices down the line.

The chip itself is currently being made by TSMC, using what is called the 5nm plus. While it’s a very new process, the company is already taking things further, currently working on 3nm and 2nm processes.

But back to Apple. Having two chips could see quite the clear separation of tiers, for lack of a better term, between products. Top-of-the-line models in the future may sport the newer, presumably more powerful M2 chip. Meanwhile, the M1 will go instead into refreshes of other devices like the iPad Air.

Apple Gives New iPad Pro The M1 Chip; Starts From RM3499

Apple is expected to announce a new iPad Pro during its very recent event. And indeed the company did just that. But the new tablet packs something new, the M1 chip. The very same one that it packed in its latest Macs and Macbooks.

The powerful chip allows the iPad Pro to do things you’d usually only associate with desktop systems. And Apple also claims that it can do all that while still maintaining all-day battery life.

But that’s not all, as the iPad Pro has another trick up its sleeve, or rather in its front-facing camera. Apple says this is its new 12MP wide angle camera. And with it, the feature that the company calls Center Stage.

Together, not only can you fit more things into frame, the camera intelligently detects if you are moving out of frame, and tries to pan towards your direction. Or, if someone else comes into frame, it automatically zooms out to fit everyone.

Other improvements Apple has given to the new iPad Pro include Thunderbolt support for the USB-C port, and even an optional 5G variant. And if you go for the larger 12.9-inch variant, you’ll also get it with a miniaturised Pro Display XDR, called the Liquid Retina XDR.

Both iPad Pro sizes come in five storage configurations, which are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and a whopping 2TB of storage space. For the 11-inch model, these are priced at RM3499, RM3949, RM4849, RM6649 and RM8449, respectively. If you want the 5G model, it will be a RM650 premium on top.

As for the 12.9-inch model, the prices are RM4799, RM5249, RM6149, RM7949 and RM9749, respectively. The same RM650 premium applies here for the 5G models. While Apple Malaysia has announced the prices of the iPad Pro, the company has not announced its availability date just yet.

TSMC Warns Chip Shortage May Last Into 2022

Taiwanese chip manufacturing giant TSMC warned that the global semiconductor shortage could last into next year, even as it expects better supply for its automotive clients next quarter. According to Bloomberg, CEO C.C. Wei told analysts that the company expects the chip shortage as a whole to continue throughout 2021 and potentially into the next year.

“In 2023, I hope we can offer more capacity to support our customers. At that time, we’ll start to see the supply chain tightness release a little bit,” he said.

Prodded by the extraordinary demand for chips, TSMC previously announced that it would spend US$100 billion (~RM413.8 billion) over three years to boost the chip-making capacity of its plants.

Wei noted the strong demand for 5-nm and 3-nm chips as an impetus for additional capacity, Reuters said. The company is already enjoying the fruits of the chip shortage – a revenue increase of 25.4% to a record of US$12.92 billion (~RM53.32 billion) in the first quarter of this year.

Still, TSMC is keeping an eye on Intel, which recently announced plans to build new chip factories and dive into the chip contract manufacturing (“foundry”) business.

But at least in the short-term, there may be more than enough demand for both companies – just not enough supply for someone looking to buy a smartphone or graphic card or a next-gen console or a car or… well, the list goes on.

New Router Orders Hit With 60-Week Delay Due To Global Chip Shortage

Broadband and internet providers around the world have become the latest victim of the ongoing chip shortage, as global supply chains for router manufacturers are now increasing the wait time for the component to a 60-weeks period.

According to Bloomberg, that waiting period is reportedly more than double the length of previous waiting periods. To be clear, many of these carriers still have routers in their inventory, but in the case of Taiwan-based maker, Zyxel Communications, the company says that the impact of the shortage has hit close to home “several times” in the past.

Zyxel Communications also wasn’t spared from ongoing world events and mishaps; the router manufacturer had inventory stored onboard the Evergreen ship that blocked the Suez Canal last week, throwing yet another wrench into its supply chain at the time.

It bears repeating that the ongoing chip shortage has affected many major tech players and their roles on the world stage. For GPU makers NVIDIA and AMD, the critical chip shortage has put a dent in the world’s graphics card supply. Compounding that insult even further are the numerous scalpers and GPU miners that are hogging up every available GPU they can get their hands on, leaving bonafide gamers without nothing left.

Even Samsung isn’t spared from the chip shortage and it certainly didn’t help that the Korean electronic giant’s factories in Texas were forced to close, due to a freak winter storm that swept the US state and left virtually the whole state and its residents without power for days.

Apple Feels The Pinch Of Global Chip Shortage; Delays MacBook, iPad Production

Apple’s production for the MacBook and iPad has officially been delayed and it’s all due to the global chip shortage. According to a report by Nikkei, the fruit company has pushed back a portion of its component order for the two products from the first half of the year to the second half.

The delay is a clear sign that even giants like the company from Cupertino isn’t immune from issues like the ongoing components famine that was brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. An issue, by the way, that is affecting a company with one of the most complicated supply chains in the world, and its insane ability to mobilise its suppliers in extremely short notices.

For what it is worth and perhaps as a form of consolation to Apple, the company isn’t alone in this. Its rival, Samsung, isn’t faring much better in this climate and if that wasn’t bad enough, it was also forced to shut down its Texas factory back in February, after an apocalyptically cold winter storm swept through the US state. Causing power outages and leaving its residents in the dark.

Outside the realm of smartphones, the chip shortage has also affected the production line for PC components, chief among them being the GPU. To make matters worse, that shortage is further compounded by the unscrupulous actions of scalpers and GPU miners, the latter brought about by the crypto-boom in the value of Bitcoin.

At the time of writing, Apple did not comment on any of the reports.

Intel To Build New US Chip Factories For US$20 Billion As Chip War Escalates

Intel unveiled plans to build two chip plants in the US state of Arizona for US$20 billion (~RM82.6 billion). The announcement coincides with a global chip shortage as well as rising US-China tensions over semiconductor supplies.

The move gives weight to Intel’s stated intentions of producing most of its chips internally. But the company is now also aggressively positioning itself to manufacture chips for other parties as part of a “foundry” business model.

Intel is one of the world’s few integrated device manufacturers – companies that both design and make their own chips. In contrast, as CNBC explains, “foundry” companies are essentially contract manufacturers for “fabless” firms who design the chips.

Taiwan-based TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung are the dominant contract manufacturers for chips, Reuters said. So Intel’s plans are being seen as a direct, if belated challenge to both. Samsung itself is considering building a plant in Austin, Texas.

But beyond the corporate skirmishes, comes the bigger question of geopolitics.

With US-China relations plunging to a new low, Washington is eager to bring back semiconductor manufacturing into the US – as opposed to its current base in countries on Beijing’s doorstep.

The Biden administration must be elated by Intel’s longer-term intentions to build further plants in the US and Europe, in addition to the two in Arizona. Just last month, the new president signed an executive order to shore up the country’s critical industries.

China too is frantically sprinting toward chip independence, aiming to produce 70% of the chips it consumes by 2025. As it stands, however, US sanctions in place and Chinese companies have been buying up and hoarding used chip-making equipment from other countries.

Historic Winter Storm Shuts Texan Chip Factories, Worsening Global Chip Shortage

A historically cold winter storm has shuttered chip-making plants in Texas, likely worsening the ongoing chip shortage across the world. The BBC said that the storm caused power outages across the state, leaving millions in the dark and forcing major chip-makers like Samsung and NXP to temporarily close their factories.

Samsung, the world’s second biggest chip-maker, halted work at its Austin factory, Bloomberg reported, while NXP, a top producer of chips for cars, also did the same at its two Austin-based plants. According to the BBC, Texas houses more semiconductor manufacturing plants than any other state in the US, effectively making it the country’s chip-making capital.

The blackouts were caused in large part by the dramatic surge in demand for power and heat as temperatures fell. Earlier this week, temperatures in Texas plunged to a stunning -18 Celsius – the coldest on Texas’ record in over 30 years. People are understandably cranking up their radiators, and authorities are reportedly prioritising power distribution to families.

There’s some concern over how the factory shutdowns could affect an eventual return to production. Chip factories have to operate 24 hours a day to be economically viable. And bringing a sudden stop to the complex process of producing semiconductors risks damaging at least some of the work in progress, Bloomberg noted.

Global chip production was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, and is now straining to meet incredible consumer demand for vehicles and electronics. The lack of chips has delayed or hobbled the production of cars, smartphones, graphic cards, and gaming consoles.