When Apple started building a unique processor for the iPhone and iPad from 2009 to 2010, we used Samsung Foundry, but custom silicon in the early 2010s was an important advantage of iPhone than rivals. After that, Samsung began exploring other manufacturers at the time Apple’s major rivals. The company considered using Intel Custom Foundry (ICF) and Texas Instruments, but I immediately noticed that ICF was not adjusted for external customers, but Ti has no advanced process technology. did. As a result, TSMC was selected as an exclusive supplier. According to Morris Chang, the founder of TSMC, he said he had acquired it.
“Intel (CEO) approached Tim Cook and asked Tim Cook to consider Intel. At this time, Intel was the main supplier of Apple’s Mac Line,” Chang recall. “Many Intel customers in Taiwan knew many people (…) they didn’t like Intel (always) they behaved like the only man. They (…) TSMC (…) competed with a business customer of a casting company that is not so, and even if Intel is trying to do business in good faith, they are (profitable. ”
When Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini approached Tim Cook in early 2011 and offered to manufacture Apple chips, Apple repeatedly discussed the proposal with TSMC for two months.
Morris Chan, who is concerned about this suspension, traveled to Apple’s headquarters to check the situation. At a private meeting, Timukook reassured Chang and Apple did not choose Intel.
“Intel doesn’t know how to become a casting factory,” Tom Cook told Chang.
The meaning was that Intel lacked the customer -centered way of thinking necessary for the casting business. Unlike TSMC, which adjusts processing technology to meet customer needs, Intel was used for its own chips design and production, and had a hard time adapting to external client services. In contrast, Apple listened to TSMC’s specific demands and evaluated the corresponding abilities.
“When many customers asked, they learned to respond to all requests,” said Chang. “Some of them were crazy, some of them were irrational (but) we responded carefully to each request. There was another supplier.”
However, it is noteworthy that Intel has been working to be in charge of these concerns at the current rebuilding Intel Foundry. It also provides the support of the industrial design tools, which is a remarkable domain lacking in the first Intel Custom Foundry foray in the past.
In fact, the first encounter with Apple confused the TSMC roadmap. TSMC was planning to move from 28nm plane to 16nm Finfet, but Apple wanted a custom 20nm -class plane node instead. At that time, TSMC did not have enough R & D teams to develop two process technology at once, so in 2014, people who are working on CLN16FF to make the CLN20SOC on the CLN20SOC. It was.
Apple dual -sourceed A8 and A9 processors with Samsung and TSMC 20nm and 16nm class processes, but Apple finally committed TSMC about all future processors. The Apple Silicon Strategy has solidified the status of TSMC as an exclusive supplier because it is a system -on -chip of various applications.
The decision to meet Apple’s demand was important in TSMC, which exceeds Intel as the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturer. Apple’s business has helped TSMC to justify large -scale Capex and R & D investment. As a result, TSMC has consistently exceeded Intel by introducing a leading edge node.
