TSMC announced in a shareholders report that it is currently implementing 10nm technological design ecosystem provisioning. They have already started a Silicon Intellectual Property (SIP) verification program and completed verification for over thirty-five design instruments. The report anticipates that by the end of this year they will begin to accept cases for clients’ product designs.

TSMC suppliers have divulged that TSMC is rapidly proceeding and plan next month to set up 10nm pilot lines in twelve Hsinchu factories. News sources claim that, for TSMC, 10nm manufacturing processes are essential to winning over Apple A10 processors. Consequently, TSMC considers this technology to be of utmost importance.

After the pilot lines are established, TSMC’s 10nm will be mass-produced in P5 through P7 of the Fab 15 factories in Central Taiwan Science Park. Currently, construction for the P5 factory is scheduled to begin this month. In the middle of next year, the machinery will be installed, and investment and production will begin in the fourth quarter of next year. All of the construction for 10nm product lines will be completed in 2016 and 2017.

In addition, the news provided by Economic Daily News’ sources also indicated that Apple will increase OEM orders for TSMC’s A9 processors; furthermore, they may commission OEM orders for all of the TSMC product lines for next-generation A10 processors.

(TR/ Phil Sweeney)