According to still unconfirmed reports from a well-known 'Phone Chip Expert' profile on the Weibo platform, Apple is developing its own AI server processor, possibly using TSMC's (TSM.US) 3nm technology. The company's stock managed to erase a weaker opening today on the wave of these reports, but overall shares of the company are little changed today. Investors are still trying to estimate how much AI will compensate the company for weaker iPhone sales, especially in China.
- The company's goal is to be in mass production by the second half of 2025. Taiwan supplies the company with all of its custom silicon chips. 3nm technology is one of the most advanced semiconductor processes available. It brings decisive improvements in performance and efficiency compared to 5 nm and 7 nm. Developing our own AI processors, means optimizing and working toward so-called vertical integration of the supply chain.
- By designing its own server chips, the company can tailor the hardware specifically to its needs, increasing performance, without the cost of additional intermediaries. AI processors could be used, among other things, to increase the performance of data centers and possibly cloud-based AI tools implemented in the future,
- The comments confirm that Apple is on the path of a real business transformation, oriented toward AI. The aforementioned Weibo platform user repeatedly hit back with predictions about iPhone models or A15/A16 processors. His comments were later confirmed by many credible sources and product launches.
Apple lost more than 19% of its smartphone market share, year-on-year, in China, mostly to Chinese smartphones producers. Source: Counterpoint Research
Apple (AAPL.US) chart, D1 interval.
Source: xStation5
