Rumors are spreading that TSMC will sell chips more expensively when the year 2021 ends. If true, we all know what that leads to: costlier smartphones, computers and other electronic products.
TSMC, considered to be the top chip manufacturer worldwide, is speculated to implement a price increase on its 12-inch wafers by $400, equivalent to 25-percent year-on-year increase. Its other wafers, including the 9-inch wafers, are also said to get price hikes.
Several tech giants all over the world, including AMD, Apple, Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm, rely on TSMC for its chips, as the Taiwanese company is basically the only one capable of producing enough chip supply to meet their demand.
Demand for chips made on the 7nm process is at an all-time high, what with the coronavirus changing the habits of consumers. TSMC is also ramping up its chip production using the new 5nm process, while its 3nm process could start volume production by 2023.
Source: TSMC