iPhone 13 and Redesigned MacBook Pro Chip Production Hit With Gas Contamination

[MacRumors]

The most important TSMC factory that manufactures Apple's chips destined for next-generation iPhone and Mac models has been hit by a gas contamination, according to Nikkei Asia.

The factory, known as "Fab 18," is TSMC's most advanced chipmaking facility. TSMC is Apple's sole chip supplier, making all of the processors used in every Apple device with a custom silicon chip.

Industry sources speaking to Nikkei Asia said that all of the processors for Apple's upcoming iPhone and Mac devices are produced at this facility. This presumably translates to the iPhone 13 lineup and redesigned MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon, containing the "A15" and "M1X" or "M2" chips.

Gas used in the production of these chips was found to be contaminated on Thursday night. TSMC told Nikkei Asia: "Some TSMC production lines in the South Taiwan Science Park received certain gases from suppliers that are believed to be contaminated. These were quickly replaced with other gas supplies." Employees who had gone home were called back to the factory to bring the situation under control.

The company said that it is carrying out follow-up operations to ensure that product quality is not affected, and the incident is not believed to have caused a "significant impact on operations." Sources speaking to Nikkei Asia said that the gas contamination had affected the chip manufacturing process, but only in a limited way.

The contamination comes at a particularly bad time for Apple, as the company and its suppliers are currently said to be finalizing components for the final assembly process of new iPhone and Mac models by the end of August.

The iPhone 13 lineup is expected to launch in Apple's normal September timeframe. Redesigned MacBook Pro models featuring Apple silicon chips are also still expected to arrive this year, either alongside the iPhone 13 in September or at a separate event around October.

Article Link: iPhone 13 and Redesigned MacBook Pro Chip Production Hit With Gas Contamination

 

[sniffies]

Must be a black voodoo spell on iPhone 13

 

[fwmireault]

It’s a hell of a ride for Apple suppliers this year

 

[macsorcery]

Maybe apple should skip the phones this year and concentrate on the mac transition.

 

[madmin]

But it's aaaaalright, in fact it's a gas

 

[IBMlover]

Hopefully this doesn't affect the iPhone 13 availability too much

 

[apparatchik]

I can picture Intel’s new CEO petting a white cat while laughing loudly on a dark and solitary office…

 

[Mr. Dee]

Don’t worry Apple, I won’t be upgrading from my iPhone X until 2022 anyway.

 

[ian87w]

What (insert name here)-gate will this cause?

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

That means more product leaks are coming

 

[Apple_Robert]

It’s not like a new phone is mission critical. If we have to wait a little longer (which I don’t think we will) so be it.

 

[polterbyte]

Doom! Gloom! Aaaaaahhh!

 

[Razorpit]

It’s not like a new phone is mission critical. If we have to wait a little longer (which I don’t think we will) so be it.

It would provide a great opportunity to purchase stock at a discount after the quarterly reports were released.

 

[jlocker]

This is why the Intel Macintosh systems are not going away any time soon. Intel processors still have their need in the Mac market and chips are available.

My guess is Apple will offer one more MacBook Pro 16 with a 11th gen Intel i9 and will still have Xeon processors for a while, With the current chip problems.

 

[Naildown]

Tim Cook is lauded for the "just in time" manufacturing process he brought to Apple that reduces inventory sitting on shelves, but in a volatile supply chain climate, this can bite them in the arse - hard. Maybe time to abandon JIT for a little while.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Very unfortunate. Maybe it’s Kang or the leakers Apple is threatening with, who might be behind this.

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[jakebrosy]

This may not sound like a big deal but, having worked in a fab, I know how bad this can be.

While I didn't sell to Fab 18, it's 300mm and 5nm, and depending on how early in the process the contaminated gas was introduced, and was it a flush gas or was it deposited, this could have a significant impact on production. This could mean the loss of millions of dollars of production and require the cleaning of dozens of machines, conveyors, handlers...bad, really really bad.

Beside a broken wafer or handling finger this is about an engineer's biggest fear in a fab. I would not want to be the gas supplier right now.

 

[WWPD]

Whose bright idea was it to have chili night at the TSMC factory?

 

[GrumpyMom]

I had no idea gas was involved in making chips. In my household it’s the other way around!

 

[NBAasDOGG]

Oooh nooo, that means Apple has to switch back to Intel chips agian…

 

[Arcus]

Odds are some of these chips made it into products.

 

[0924487]

What (insert name here)-gate will this cause?

The gas-passing gate.

 

[2013.1]

So at least about 50 % of Apple's revenue depends on a single Factory. That sounds like a vulnerability.

 

[0924487]

Oooh nooo, that means Apple has to switch bad to Intel chips agian…

Nah, it’s only a few days worth of production delay max.

 

[0924487]

So at least about 50 % of Apple's revenue depends on a single Factory. That sounds like a vulnerability.

100% of Apple’s revenue depends on a single company.

That’s Apple.

Have you considered that this way?