Tag: Production

Samsung plans to start mass production of 2nm GAA chips in 2025

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 30, 2024
No Comments on Samsung plans to start mass production of 2nm GAA chips in 2025

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In the past few years, Samsung has seen a tremendous slowdown in its semiconductor chip foundry business. No big-name chip firm (apart from Samsung’s System LSI division that makes Exynos chips) has used Samsung Foundry’s 3nm and newer-generation 4nm process nodes. However, the company is still marching ahead with the development of newer chip process nodes, including 2nm nodes.

Samsung to start mass production of second-generation 3nm chips in 2024 and 2nm chips in 2025

A new report from Business Korea revealed that Samsung Foundry is developing next-generation Gate All Around (GAA) technology, which will be used in the company’s 2nm process technology. The mass production of 2nm semiconductor chips based on this technology is planned for next year. The South Korean firm will reportedly present a paper on third-generation GAA technology, which will be used for 2nm chips, at the VLSI Symposium 2024 expo. This expo will be held in Hawaii, USA, from June 16 to 20, 2024.

The VLSI Symposium is among the top three global semiconductor conferences where top technologies in the field are discussed. The other two top semiconductor chip conferences are the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) and the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC).

What is the advantage of GAA?

GAA is a new type of transistor design that improves current flow and power efficiency. It was introduced with the first-generation 3nm process node from Samsung Foundry. However, it hasn’t been used by any other chip firm, including AMD, Apple, MediaTek, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. Samsung’s own System LSI division is expected to be the first to use Samsung Foundry’s 3nm process for its next-generation Exynos chips for phones and smartwatches.

Compared to chips fabricated on Samsung Foundry’s 5nm process, first-generation 3nm GAA chips showcased a 16% area reduction, a 23% performance improvement, and 45% higher power efficiency. The second-generation 3nm process is estimated to offer a 35% area reduction in chip size, 30% performance improvement, and 50% better power efficiency. Third-generation GAA, which will be used in 2nm chips, will reportedly offer 50% area reduction and 50% higher performance.

Samsung’s primary rival, TSMC, is yet to use Gate All Around technology in its advanced process nodes. Samsung plans to mass-produce second-generation 3nm GAA chips (like for the Galaxy S25) in the second half of this year. Intel and TSMC are expected to use GAA in their next-generation 2nm processes.

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Tags 2nm, chips, GAA, Mass, plans, Production, Samsung, Start

Bisnis Industri

Slow Horses, Silo BAFTA wins cover editing, production, music

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 29, 2024
No Comments on Slow Horses, Silo BAFTA wins cover editing, production, music

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Slow Horses Silo BAFTA wins — Apple TV+ took four prizes in the TV craft awards, and may win more in the broader BAFTA Television Awards.
*Photo: Apple TV+*

The BAFTA Television Craft Awards — a branch of the BAFTAs, often thought of as the British Oscars — awarded wins to Apple TV+ hit series Slow Horses and Silo, the iPhone giant said Sunday.

The acerbic espionage drama Slow Horses won for best editing and best sound. Sci-fi series Silo landed wins for best production design and best original music.

In addition, Apple TV+ received further nominations in the upcoming BAFTA Television Awards.

Apple TV+ wins BAFTA Television Craft awards for Slow Horses, Silo and more

Apple TV+ took two awards apiece in the 2024 BAFTA Television Craft Awards for its acclaimed espionage drama Slow Horses and its sci-fi hit Silo. Slow Horses landed Best Editing: Fiction and Best Sound: Fiction, while Silo won for Best Production Design and Best Original Music.

The BAFTA Television Awards recognize the best British programs, performances and productions each year. Outside of the craft awards subset, Apple TV+ got further nominations for the upcoming awards, below.

Apple landed four BAFTA Television Craft Award wins in total, including:

Slow Horses

Editing: Fiction — Sam Williams

Sound: Fiction

Silo

Production Design — Gavin Bocquet, Amanda Bernstein

Original Music: Fiction — Atli Örvarsson

Upcoming BAFTA Television Awards nominations

Apple TV+ also got nominated for four category awards at the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards that take place Sunday, May 12:

Slow Horses

Drama Series Supporting Actor — Jack Lowden

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas

Entertainment

The Enfield Poltergeist

Specialist Factual

Previous BAFTA wins for Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has previously won BAFTA Television Awards:

Best Drama Series in 2023 for acclaimed hit Bad Sisters, along with the show’s awards for Best Supporting Actress (Anne-Marie Duff) and Best Titles & Graphic Identity for Peter Anderson Studio.
Apple’s limited series The Essex Serpent landed Best Costume Design for first-time BAFTA winner Jane Petrie in 2023.
In 2022, 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room won Editing: Factual, and 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything earned Sound: Factual.

Source: Apple TV+

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Tags BAFTA, Cover, Editing, Horses, music, Production, Silo, slow, Wins

Featured

Brighter, low-energy OLEDs are going into production this year – but they won’t be coming to TVs just yet

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 23, 2024
No Comments on Brighter, low-energy OLEDs are going into production this year – but they won’t be coming to TVs just yet

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The best OLED TVs are about to get a whole lot better. A new panel technology known as eLEAP will officially go into production later this year, according to FlatpanelsHD. Although it won’t be going into any big-name TVs at first, the new screen technology promises to deliver brightness in excess of 3,000 nits and improved durability, which means that it could make screens last longer, helping to cut down on e-waste.

eLeap was developed by Japan Display (JDI), which is a firm that was created by the merger of the display businesses of Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi. And while we first started reporting on it in 2022, it’s only just starting to ramp up production with plans to expand this to the mainstream market in late 2024.

Although no consumer brands have yet announced plans to use the new tech, the panels are likely to appear in laptops first, with one of the first panels being a 14-inch OLED for portable computers. That’ll deliver peak brightness of 1,600 nits, but even brighter panels are imminent.

What is eLeap OLED?

eLeap – it’s an extremely tenuous acronym for “environment positive lithography with maskless deposition, extreme long life, low power and high luminance” – uses light to transfer patterns in the manufacturing of integrated circuits, a process that can deliver increased brightness and increased durability too, which is great news for cutting down on e-waste.

This is the first OLED technology to use such a process, and according to Japan Display the production process is currently six months ahead. In the eight months before launch, JDI says it’s already achieving production yields of 60%. The higher the yield the more efficient the production and the lower the cost.

According to JDI, it will supply eLeap panels “for use in a wide array of end-use applications, including smartwatches and wearables, smartphones, notebook PCs, and automotive displays”. TVs are currently conspicuous by their absence, however. That’s because the manufacturing capacity isn’t there yet to produce larger panels: JDI’s plant for that is not expected to be online until 2027.

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Tags brighter, coming, lowenergy, OLEDs, Production, TVs, Wont, Year

Business Industry

Samsung starts mass production of 1Tb 9th Gen. V-NAND flash chips

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 23, 2024
No Comments on Samsung starts mass production of 1Tb 9th Gen. V-NAND flash chips

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Samsung, the world’s biggest memory chip maker, has announced it is the first brand to start mass-producing 1Tb TLC 9th Gen V-NAND flash chips. TLC refers to Triple Level Cell, and the new chips can store 3-bit data in one cell.

Samsung becomes world’s first brand to start mass production of 1Tb 9th Generation V-NAND flash chips

The South Korean firm has developed the world’s smallest cell size with minimum mold thickness for its 1Tb 9th Generation V-NAND flash chips. This has increased the bit density by 1.5x compared to the previous generation chips. The cell’s surface area has also been reduced through dummy channel hole removal technology. Samsung says its new technology has also improved product quality and reliability. This was done by using cell interference avoidance and cell life extension technologies. These new chips are also the highest single-unit product that can be used in a double-stack structure.

Samsung also uses Channel Hole Etching technology to create electron pathways by stacking mold layers and maximizing fabrication productivity. It enables simultaneous drilling of the industry’s highest cell layer count in a double-stack structure. As the number of cell layers increases in a NAND flash chip, it becomes important to pierce through them. More sophisticated etching techniques are required to achieve that.

This new chip also uses Samsung’s next-generation NAND flash interface called Toggle 5.1. It increases the data input/output speeds by 33%, reaching up to 3.2Gbps. Samsung has also added support for the new PCIe 5.0 interface. Samsung has also achieved 10% higher power efficiency with its new chips.

These chips can be used in high-performance SSDs, such as the ones in the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra in our video below. They can also be used in gaming consoles, PCs, servers, and more. Samsung says it will start the mass production of QLC (Quad Level Cell) in the second half of 2024.

SungHoi Hur, Head of Flash Product & Technology of the Memory Business at Samsung Electronics, said, “We are excited to deliver the industry’s first 9th-gen V-NAND, which will bring future applications leaps forward. In order to address the evolving needs for NAND flash solutions, Samsung has pushed the boundaries in cell architecture and operational schemes for our next-generation product. Through our latest V-NAND, Samsung will continue to set the trend for the high-performance, high-density solid-state drive (SSD) market that meets the needs for the coming AI generation.“

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Tags 1TB, 9th, chips, Flash, Gen, Mass, Production, Samsung, starts, VNAND

Featured

The end of FineWoven? Apple reportedly stops production of the eco-friendly accessories

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 22, 2024
No Comments on The end of FineWoven? Apple reportedly stops production of the eco-friendly accessories

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It’s safe to say that Apple’s FineWoven accessories have been a disaster from the moment they launched, with people criticizing them for their perceived lack of durability and the ease with which they can get damaged. Now, it seems that Apple has decided to cut its losses, and could phase out the entire range.

That’s if a leaker who goes by the name Kosutami is to be believed, at least. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami claimed that “FineWoven has gone,” adding that “All the production line was stopped and removed” [sic]. That presumably covers all FineWoven accessories, including iPhone cases and Apple Watch straps.

According to Kosutami, Apple made the move specifically due to the material’s poor durability. It will switch to a different substance, Kosutami says, but we won’t see a return to the leather products that Apple discontinued at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023.

What that material will be remains a mystery, but there’s a chance we’ll see it at this year’s WWDC event on June 10. Kosutami’s prediction that Apple won’t return to leather makes a lot of sense, though, since Apple made a point of highlighting leather’s heavy environmental impact last year. Bringing out new leather accessories, then, would not be a good look.

Farewell FineWoven

iPhone 15 Pro review FineWoven back angled BLTR

A FineWoven iPhone 15 Pro case showing signs of wear (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

For a company with a reputation for delivering hit products forged with impeccable build quality, the FineWoven case has been a rare and notable miss. It’s received almost universal criticism since it launched in September 2023.

For instance, journalist Joanna Stern declared that her FineWoven iPhone case was “browning like a rotten banana” and likened it to a “biomedical concern,” while TechRadar’s own Axel Metz felt that his case was easily scratched and felt “clammy” in the hand. It “isn’t a total disaster,” Metz added, “Just a very big one.” Small comfort for Apple, then.

Kosutami has previously shared accurate information regarding upcoming Apple products and decisions (including several previous leaks concerning FineWoven accessories), so this latest report shouldn’t be immediately dismissed. Given the reception that Apple’s FineWoven products have received over their short lifetimes, we wouldn’t be surprised if Kosutami’s claims prove to be correct.

TechRadar has approached Apple for comment, and we’ll update this article if we get a response.

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Tags accessories, Apple, ecofriendly, FineWoven, Production, Reportedly, Stops

News

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 21, 2024
No Comments on Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

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Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as “Kosutami.”

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future.

Kosutami has revealed accurate information about FineWoven accessories in the past. The leaker unveiled Apple’s plans to introduce new Apple Watch bands made of a “woven fabric material” over a month before they debuted, as well as matching iPhone cases. Kosutami also revealed the very first images of FineWoven accessories shortly before the event in which they were officially announced. MacRumors understands the source of this latest information regarding the cessation of production to be the same as these previous FineWoven rumors that were ultimately accurate, so it should be taken seriously until we know more.

Apple stopped selling leather accessories in September last year, replacing most of them with a more environmentally friendly “FineWoven” material that the company describes as “luxurious and durable microtwill” made from 68% post-consumer recycled polyester. FineWoven iPhone cases are priced at $59, MagSafe Wallets at $59, AirTag holders at $35, and Apple Watch bands at $99.

Accessories made of the material have been very poorly received by customers, citing poor durability and disappointing quality. FineWoven accessories in new color options were noticeably absent from Apple’s spring refresh. If Apple has indeed stopped production of FineWoven accessories, it may be some time before the company’s existing inventory begins to noticeably deplete.

Apple Chipmaker TSMC to Receive $6.6 Billion Grant to Step Up Production in the U.S.

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 8, 2024
No Comments on Apple Chipmaker TSMC to Receive $6.6 Billion Grant to Step Up Production in the U.S.

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The United States Commerce Department today announced a significant financial commitment to Apple chip supplier TSMC to make more chips in the U.S. (via Bloomberg).

Apple Silicon Teal Feature
The White House shared a statement explaining that the U.S. Commerce Department will allocate a $6.6 billion subsidy to TSMC for the advancement of semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. TSMC will also receive $5 billion in loans and be eligible to claim an investment tax credit of up to 25% of capital expenditures. The move is part of a larger initiative under the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to rejuvenate the United States’ semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

TSMC has already committed to an escalated investment of $25 billion, elevating its total investment to $65 billion. This is the largest foreign direct investment in a completely new project in U.S. history.

The chipmaker also announced plans to construct a third fabrication plant in Arizona by 2030. The first TSMC plant in Arizona will start producing 4nm chips next year. The second plant, which was originally designed to make 3nm chips, will also make 2nm ones by 2028. The third plant will produce 2nm chips with capacity to make even more advanced semiconductors in the future.

Apple’s most advanced chips are currently made in Taiwan using TSMC’s ‌3nm‌ process, so the ability to make these chips and even more powerful ones in the future in the United States could represent a significant shift for the company’s supply chain.

TSMC bounces back after Taiwan earthquake — top chipmaker says its production is already back up to speed, despite devastating quake

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On Wednesday, 3 April, the strongest earthquake to strike Taiwan in 25 years killed at least nine people and injured or trapped hundreds more. The 7.4 magnitude quake was followed by more than 200 aftershocks, dozens of which were at least 6.5 magnitude or stronger.

Taiwan, which frequently experiences earthquakes due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, produces 80-90% of high-end chips for advanced applications like smartphones and AI. Although the epicenter of the huge quake was on the eastern side of Taiwan, in Hualien County, it was strong enough to be felt in the capital Taipei about 90 miles south. This led to TSMC, the main contract chipmaker for Apple, Nvidia and AMD, evacuating workers and suspending operations.

While it was feared this could have severe repercussions for the global smartphone industry, the firm was quick to alleviate concerns.

No major damage

In a statement issued late on the day of the quake and reported by Bloomberg, TSMC said, “There is no damage to our critical tools, including all of our extreme ultraviolet lithography tools.”

A few tools were damaged at some facilities, but nothing to cause any significant delays. It is reported that 70 to 80% of TSMC’s machinery was back online within 10 hours of the earthquake hitting.

While TSMC may have got off lightly this time, concerns for the future remain. Tom’s Hardware reports, “The quake came as governments worldwide have considered bringing chip production back home, and worry about consolidating production in a region that is both a potential military hot button and located near two tectonic plates. That’s part of why the United States has given massive CHIPS Act subsidies to Intel and others to build and expand domestic fabs. TSMC is also building a U.S. fab in Arizona and is expecting over $5 billion in incentives.”

TSMC Resumes Majority of Apple Chip Production Following Earthquake

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 5, 2024
No Comments on TSMC Resumes Majority of Apple Chip Production Following Earthquake

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Apple chip supplier TSMC has reportedly resumed most of its operations after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan’s eastern coast on Wednesday.

apple silicon 1 feature
TSMC told Bloomberg that more than 80% of its chip production lines are operational again as of Thursday, and it said there has been no damage to its most critical equipment. More specifically, Taiwanese research firm TrendForce said that TSMC’s 3nm, 4nm, and 5nm chip factories resumed more than 90% of their operations within hours after the earthquake, suggesting that Apple chip production has not been significantly impacted.

While this update from TSMC has been widely reported, Apple chip production is obviously the least of concerns following the earthquake, which has reportedly caused at least 10 deaths and over 1,000 injuries in Taiwan.

Major Earthquake in Taiwan Halts Some Apple Chip Production Lines

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 3, 2024
No Comments on Major Earthquake in Taiwan Halts Some Apple Chip Production Lines

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A major earthquake in Taiwan has halted some TSMC chip production lines, potentially impacting the manufacture of Apple devices (via Bloomberg).

Apple Silicon Teal Feature
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan in the early hours of the morning, killing at least nine people, injuring hundreds, and causing significant damage to infrastructure, including disrupting operations at several TSMC key manufacturing sites. Sources familiar with TSMC’s operations said that the company’s N3 fab in Tainan suffered structural damage, with beams and columns broken, leading to an outright halt in production. EUV machines, essential for manufacturing processes below 7nm, have stopped, and research and development labs have been subject to significant damage, such as cracked walls. Another fab in Hsinchu reported broken pipelines and extensive damage to wafers, necessitating a halt in production.

Some of TSMC’s high-end chips, such as the 3nm A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max, require round-the-clock operations and a stable vacuum environment for several weeks. As a result, some high-end chips already in production are likely to have been spoiled even if they were not damaged directly.

All of the custom silicon processors in Apple’s devices are supplied by TSMC. As such, the earthquake’s immediate effects on TSMC’s facilities have raised concerns about potential delays in Apple’s product supply chain. The chipmaker has taken immediate action to assess the damage and initiate recovery procedures, with some production lines expected to resume operation today, but the full extent of the impact on Apple’s supply chain remains uncertain.

TSMC has historically placed a strong emphasis on disaster preparedness, especially following a major earthquake in 1999. The company has since implemented rigorous seismic management measures designed to mitigate the risks posed by earthquakes, including post-earthquake inspections, the installation of dampers and shock absorbers, and the integration of equipment vibration reduction technologies.

Apple is in the midst of ramping up production for its upcoming product releases, so significant disruptions in the supply of TSMC-manufactured chips could potentially delay product launches or limit availability. That being said, Apple is known for its robust supply chain management strategies, which will likely help mitigate the immediate effects of the earthquake on the company’s product timelines and availability.

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Tags Apple, chip, Earthquake, Halts, Lines, major, Production, Taiwan

Apple TV+ wins BAFTA Television Craft awards for Slow Horses, Silo and more

Slow Horses

Silo

Upcoming BAFTA Television Awards nominations

Slow Horses

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The Enfield Poltergeist

Previous BAFTA wins for Apple TV+

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Samsung to start mass production of second-generation 3nm chips in 2024 and 2nm chips in 2025

What is the advantage of GAA?

Apple TV+ wins BAFTA Television Craft awards for Slow Horses, Silo and more

Slow Horses

Silo

Upcoming BAFTA Television Awards nominations

Slow Horses

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas

The Enfield Poltergeist

Previous BAFTA wins for Apple TV+

Samsung becomes world’s first brand to start mass production of 1Tb 9th Generation V-NAND flash chips

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