TSMC as already said volume production of N3E starts in 2023 Q4. Since M3 MacBook Airs sell in only a fraction of the volumes of iPhones, this could mean that a spring 2024 N3E M3 MacBook Air release is possible.
If TSMC's statement is literally true, actually it says quite the opposite. Making N3 class chips isn't like making microwave popcorn. One of the 'problems' that most customers don't like about N3B is that it takes about 4 months to make. (**) N3E is incrementally better (~3months. ) . However, both are worse than the old N5-family ( that includes N4).
if N3E high volume production doesn't actually start until October (Q4) , then it will be about about January until actually could accumulate any useful substantive inventory of working packages for a substantive demand surge launch.
If TSMC means that it wasn't 'production start' , but that they would recognizing N3E
revenue (i.e., for delivered working chips) then that would make it viable. TSMC has said for almost two years that N3E was going to come about 1 year after N3 (N3B) went into high volume. [ There was some statements that N3E was going very well can maybe less than a year; maybe substantively ramp in Q3 sometime. ]
The M3 MBA makes really very little sense since they just did the MBA 15". If the Mini is 'hobbled' by being coupled to the Mn Pro why wouldn't the MBA 13" get hobbled by being coupled to the MBA 15" ???? They could do either decoupled if really wanted to, but it would be awkward.
A roll out on M3 of iMac in Oct/Nov , (then wait a gap time) MBP 13", , then (wait a gap time ) finally MBA 13" ( and maybe by that time iPad Pro ) would be trackable on N3B and not so track
The M2 MBP 13" and MBA 13" didn't actually roll out at exactly the same time either. Apple could do the same thing here. Do lower volumes first and build to production.
Clamoring for N3E is really cheerleading for products
not to ship in substantive volume in 2023. Might get some relatively (to overall Mac volumes) product out the door , but it would be risky.
I not convinced the M1 MacBook Air is going to get updated. I think it could just get discontinued at some point.
Depends upon how much 'pressure' they get from the Windows PC market that Apple pretends doesn't matter.
There is enough stuff on the 13.8" MBA that will make it pretty hard to push down to the pragmatic $799-899 level in competitive retail. ( Yes, Apple lists it at $999 , but it does not regularly hold that point at all if wander from Apple's stores. )
If Apple refreshes the same old MBP 13" with a M3 then the very old MBA container could get a M2. It wouldn't happened until after the larger 13" moved forward though.
7+ or so years from now Apple is going to want to chuck all this M1 stuff .
Whether N3B or N3E the M3 die is going to cost substantively more. I don't see Apple floating an M2 (and substantively cheaper ) version of exactly the same as the chassis with just a M2/M3 gap between them. They would want to 'walk down' folks on screen size , webcam , etc. to decrease the fratricidal impact. It likely isn't going to be like selling last 2 gen iPhones side-by-side at all. The volumes are much lower. In most cases, the new SoC will get the previous gen "Steve'd" and just die off.
And that bargin basement old shell system could sit comatose for a couple generations if necessary. ( e.g,, the 'edu' , non-Retina iMac that Apple dragged along from more than several years comatose. )
** relatively extremely long production time makes inventory control much more difficult. If demand goes up can't really respond for many months. If it goes down then could get stuck with gobs of inventory you don't need. Apple generally does two things. One, they throw the same SoC into as many products as they can. (e..g, the iPad Pro can soak up plain Mn if MBA demand has a bump and vice versa. ) . Apple tends to keep lean inventory in first place. ( can send feedback back into the supply chain quickly to slow down , stop, speed up as necessary). They also don't make SoCS for other folks so if they know their own products very well , then there should not be 'surprises' in the product demand forecast. (i.e., ask for the correct amount in the first place .. so don't have to change wafer order volume. ).
chips.
