In the US, Apple has already made the decision to buy chips from a plant in Arizona, production of which will start in 2024. In Europe, plans are not yet fully defined.
Apple will look for new options to reduce its dependence on manufacturers based in Asia. According to statements by Tim Cook in an internal meeting, the Cupertino giant has plans to buy chips made in the United States.
According to sources to which Bloomberg has had access, during the meeting in Germany, with teams of engineers and the retail district, Apple also intends to expand its chip supply options to Europe.
In the US, Apple has already made the decision to buy chips from a factory in Arizona, production of which will start in 2024, Tim Cook revealed during the meeting. In Europe, the plans are not fully defined yet, but the company hopes they will become clearer over time.
The plant in Arizona is believed to be operated by TSMC, which is Apple’s exclusive partner in chip production. In addition, the manufacturer could open another new plant in the United States.
It should be noted that in addition to TSMC, Intel is also building factories dedicated to producing chips, with an investment of $20 billion announced last year. Both infrastructures are located in Arizona and could start producing in 2024.
The vast majority of processors used in Apple devices come from TSMC factories in Taiwan. It’s true that bringing some production to the US could help Apple reduce its reliance on manufacturers in Asia. However, it is not certain that the North American plant can respond to the needs of the technology giant.
Like the United States, which has a Chip and Science Act with $50 billion in incentives for semiconductor research and manufacturing, Europe also has incentives to boost production in the territory. Although Tim Cook did not provide further details, TSMC will be in talks with the German government to open a semiconductor plant in the country.
