Silicon giants are about to throw hands because TSMC capacity wars just got incredibly real. Apple and Nvidia previously stayed in their own lanes within the Taiwanese foundries, with Cupertino sticking to standard processes and fan-out packaging while the green team hogged the advanced substrate options. That peaceful separation is collapsing as both companies push for more aggressive chip designs that demand the exact same manufacturing resources.
Apple plans to adopt new packaging methods for its upcoming M5 and M6 Ultra processors that directly rival the technology Nvidia uses for its graphics cards. Reports indicate the iPhone maker will switch to a wafer-level module technique for future A20 chips to integrate multiple dies like neural engines and graphics cores into one package. Simultaneously, the company intends to use 3D stacking technology for high-end Mac chips, allowing them to stack silicon horizontally and vertically.
Suppliers expect the M5 series to utilize a liquid molding compound from Eternal Materials specifically engineered for the same substrate packaging that powers heavy-duty AI accelerators. SemiAnalysis warns that this roadmap convergence means both tech titans will soon fight for the same limited production lines, creating a massive bottleneck.
Cupertino executives are reportedly eyeing Intel and Samsung to relieve this pressure. Sources claim Apple is already testing Intel’s 18A-P process for entry-level M-series chips slated for 2027. Moving just twenty percent of those basic wafers could theoretically hand Intel over six hundred million dollars in revenue if yields hold up.
Apple plans to adopt new packaging methods for its upcoming M5 and M6 Ultra processors that directly rival the technology Nvidia uses for its graphics cards. Reports indicate the iPhone maker will switch to a wafer-level module technique for future A20 chips to integrate multiple dies like neural engines and graphics cores into one package. Simultaneously, the company intends to use 3D stacking technology for high-end Mac chips, allowing them to stack silicon horizontally and vertically.
Suppliers expect the M5 series to utilize a liquid molding compound from Eternal Materials specifically engineered for the same substrate packaging that powers heavy-duty AI accelerators. SemiAnalysis warns that this roadmap convergence means both tech titans will soon fight for the same limited production lines, creating a massive bottleneck.
Cupertino executives are reportedly eyeing Intel and Samsung to relieve this pressure. Sources claim Apple is already testing Intel’s 18A-P process for entry-level M-series chips slated for 2027. Moving just twenty percent of those basic wafers could theoretically hand Intel over six hundred million dollars in revenue if yields hold up.
