What you need to know
- Apple chipmaker TSMC says it has no such short term plans to make chips in the US.
- That's despite reports that Washington has increased its pressure on the manufacturer.
- It did, however, say that the feasibility of such a venture is being evaluated.
Apple chipmaker TSMC, the muscle behind Apples' A-Series chips for iPad and iPhone, has stated it has no short terms plans to make chips in the US despite pressures from Washington.
According to Digitimes:
In response to reports indicating Washington has increased its pressure on TSMC to have a plant in the US for the fabrication of high-security products, the Taiwan-based foundry said that it has no such plans in the short term but the feasibility is being evaluated.
Recently, a report from Nikkei Asian Review revealed that Washington had upped the pressure on TSMC to produce "military-use" chips in the US. According to the report, the US government is wary of potential Chinese interference in the manufacture of high-security components:
Washington has upped the pressure on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to produce its military-use chips in the U.S., in order to ensure that the world's biggest contract chipmaker can manufacture the high-security components free from potential Chinese interference, sources have told the Nikkei Asian Review.
The report notes that alongside Apple's A-Series chips, TSMC makes chips used in American F-35 fighter jets, as well as Huawei. The current administration seems to be keen to distance itself from that prospect and is seeking "to make a firm decision about producing in the US or offering another security-compatible solution before the US presidential election in November.
TSMC account for a 50% share of the world's chip foundry business.
Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.
Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple.
