Tim Cook has confirmed that soon, some processors used in Apple's products will be built in America.
As reported by CNBC, the Apple CEO joined U.S. President Joe Biden at the new TSMC chip manufacturing plant in the state of Arizona. At the event, Cook spoke and confirmed that the company would be using processors made at the plant.
Hyping the fact that the chips are made in the country, Cook said that “thanks to the hard work of so many people, these chips can be proudly stamped Made in America. This is an incredibly significant moment.”
Cook said that the plant in Arizona “ is only the beginning," saying that "today we’re combining TSMC’s expertise with the unrivaled ingenuity of American workers. We are investing in a stronger brighter future, we are planting our seed in the Arizona desert. And at Apple, we are proud to help nurture its growth.”
U.S. President Joe Biden also spoke at the event, saying that “Apple had to buy all the advanced chips from overseas, now they’re going to bring more of their supply chain home. It could be a game-changer.”
The plant is owned by TSMC
The plant, while not open yet, will be operated by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the biggest chip foundry company with over 50% market share globally. Once the plant becomes operational, it will manufacture the 4-nanometer and 3-nanometer chips used in the current and future A-Series and M-Series processors from Apple.
TSMC announced on the same day that it will be spending $40 billion on the two Arizona plants that are currently being built. The first plant is expected to become operational sometime in 2024, with the second on track for 2026.
When they reach full capacity, the plants are expected to produce around 600,000 wafers per year. So, within a few years, we could all have an Apple product that features a chip made in America.
