Apple has announced plans to acquire over 100 million chips from TSMC produced at its new Arizona plant this year. This move is part of its stated commitment to invest in local manufacturing within the United States. Although the figure is notable, most of its components will continue to come from Asia in the short term. The strategy includes other investments in the US supply chain to diversify production and increase its resilience.
The Geographic Diversification Strategy in Semiconductor Manufacturing ðŸ§
This decision fits into a trend of relocating chip production, driven by laws like the CHIPS Act. TSMC Arizona will manufacture 4 and 3 nanometer chips, key processes for Apple's future SoCs. The company is not only seeking to secure capacity but also to reduce dependence on a single geographic point. In parallel, it invests in US suppliers of glass, magnets, and other components, creating a more distributed and less vulnerable supply network.
Made in USA... but only a very specific part 🌎
So, according to this, our next iPhone will be a citizen of the world with dual nationality. The brain will come from Arizona, the body from China, and probably the soul from a Californian design. It's like those cars that are assembled in one country but have parts from half the planet. We can say it supports local employment, while the rest of the supply chain continues to go around the globe on an epic journey. One small step for a chip, one calculated step for Apple's accounting.