In late 2026, it is not just Apple that is scheduled to introduce its first range of 2nm chipsets, as Qualcomm and MediaTek have been reported to keep pace with their nemesis as they race to announce their own rival. The Taiwanese fabless semiconductor manufacturer has gone as far as to successfully tape-out its first 2nm SoC to obtain whatever edge it can get its hands on.
Unfortunately, a report hints that the competition will always remain in Apple’s shadow, because the latter has apparently secured more than half of TSMC’s initial production capacity on the advanced lithography to ensure that the competition is left picking the crumbs. The latest information also says that the technology giant has booked an entire manufacturing plant for itself in Taiwan to secure an advantage, highlighting the tactics such firms take to have a headstart in this heated space.
No other company has yet to overtake Apple as TSMC’s biggest customer, accounting for 22 percent of total revenue
A previous report had stated that Apple secured nearly half of TSMC’s initial 2nm supply, with mass production expected to kick off this quarter. However, the latest update from Economic News Daily mentions that the Cupertino behemoth has taken it one step further by securing more than 50 percent of that supply to keep the competition, like Qualcomm and MediaTek, at bay.
A couple of years ago, Apple’s competition took a whole year to catch up to the company when it came to silicon development, likely because of the mammoth costs associated with mass producing chips on TSMC’s first-generation 3nm process, also known as ‘N3B.’ In fact, the tape-out costs alone for Apple’s M3 lineup were estimated to be $1 billion, which is not a financial undertaking Qualcomm and MediaTek were willing to take.
Fortunately, as TSMC’s newer 3nm iterations arrived, Apple’s rivals became more comfortable in making the transition, which is why they will not want to lose out on technological edge regarding the 2nm race. Sadly, Apple has always been TSMC’s biggest customer, with the report stating that 22 percent of the semiconductor giant’s revenue in 2024 came from the iPhone maker, reaching $19.4 billion from just a single customer.
Looking at these figures, TSMC would have little to no problems in selling more than half of its 2nm supply for Apple, but at the same time, the Taiwanese titan would not want to push away other customers, which is why its priority is to ramp up production in the coming months. According to earlier estimates, its goal is to bring its monthly wafer count to an impressive 100,000 units in 2026. With its Arizona plant in full swing, that number can reach 200,000 by 2028.
The first 2nm batch for Apple has been completely booked at TSMC’s Baoshan, while the Kaohsiung facility will cater to the likes of Qualcomm, MediaTek, and others. For next year, the California-based giant is reportedly planning to launch four new chipsets fabricated on the advanced lithography, so it should be an exciting revelation in 2026.