Apple Chip Supplier Hit by Intel Delay Ahead of 'A17 Bionic' Production in 2023

Apple chip supplier TSMC is scaling back its plans to produce 3nm chips next year after Intel postponed a major order, Taiwanese research firm TrendForce reports.

3nm apple silicon feature
Intel reportedly planned to outsource production of its Meteor Lake tGPU chipset to TSMC, with mass production scheduled for the second half of 2022, before being delayed to the first half of 2023 due to design and verification issues. Now, Intel is said to have delayed mass production to the end of 2023, virtually cancelling the ‌3nm‌ chip production capacity that it had booked with TSMC for most of next year.

As a result, TSMC has apparently been "greatly affected" by the move, forcing it to slow its expansion of ‌3nm‌ chip production to ensure that production capacity "is not excessively idle, leading to massive cost amortization pressure."

Apple is believed to be the main customer of TSMC's initial ‌3nm‌ chip mass production. According to the report, Apple is now the only major company among the first wave of ‌3nm‌ chip production clients with orders scheduled between the second half of 2022 and the start of 2023. Apple's upcoming ‌3nm‌ chips reportedly include new M-series chips and the "A17 Bionic."

It is not clear if the disruption at TSMC caused by Intel will impact Apple's ‌3nm‌ chip production volume or schedule. The first ‌3nm‌ chip from Apple is rumored to be the M2 Pro, debuting in the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and a high-end Mac mini model.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
iphone fold 3d print

Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy

Tuesday December 23, 2025 1:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far. On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), ...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...

Top Rated Comments

BootsWalking Avatar
44 months ago
Intel is like an ex-spouse - causes you grief even years after you've broken up.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Colstan Avatar
44 months ago
Yet folks still find ways to justify the idea that Apple should have stayed with Intel, despite Intel's repeated, obvious failures.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lynxwildcat Avatar
44 months ago
Intel finds another way to screw Apple.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Adreitz Avatar
44 months ago
Wait, shouldn't this be a good thing? Freeing up TSMC capacity for everyone else?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
44 months ago
Funny stuff. Basically the original concern was that Intel was going to use all the 3nm production leaving Apple out in the cold and now the fear is that because Intel isn't going to use it that TSMC will not ramp up production since there won't be enough customers leaving Apple out in the cold....

It is almost like someone is trying to spin that whatever happens it will be bad news for Apple! ;)
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0924487 Avatar
44 months ago

If intel keeps this up, their outsourced chip manufacturers won’t do business with them in the future. I suspect they’ll get 1 or 2 more mistakes like this
People who defend Intel always say Intel is a great chip designer, they just haven’t caught up on fabrication. Now, it’s clear that they suck on everything.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)