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TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

reuters.com

1–10 of 54 posts

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#2
This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/report-apple-is-savi...

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#3
" two sources familiar with the matter said." I don't really get how an article can be built off that. Isn't that completely insubstantial on the face of it? Are we supposed to just trust that some reuters journalist is sourcing this info from a credible primary source?

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#4
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

>as the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand, two sources familiar with the matter said.

I stopped reading after that.

And as someone who knew about TSMC and ASML before 99.99999% of internet even start reporting news on TSMC. Most if not all of TSMC news are just plain BS.

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#5
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

Nvidia‘s H100 chips may sell for a lot of money, but in terms of wafers, its just around 10% of volume compared to their gaming chips.

There is rarely a shortage that isn’t followed by an oversupply, so in fact it would be weird if it was different this time.

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#6
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullwhip_effect My naïve assumption is that it has to do with this?

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#7
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

I'm equally confused. I came here to say the same. One thing I'm not confident about is my understanding of this article. Is it, in fact, saying that they're slowing down production because they fear low consumer demand? I may have missed it in the article but I don't feel like it ever clearly states it like that.

Def possible I just didn't read it well but I ended my review of it still confused about whether they were worried about lack of or increase in demand

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#8
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

It's a typical boom/bust cycle, isn't it? Plus tech is going through a recession, there's less money tossed around, inflation is cray cray, people have less disposable income, etc.

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#9
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

The chip shortage was about common, low-cost chips made on older (i.e. larger), mature process nodes that TSMC does less business in.

As for the "revolution in AI", TSMC isn't going to spontaneously manufacture chips that nVidia and AMD haven't ordered, so your "something doesn't add up" should be directed to them. The same goes for Apple.

Re: TSMC tells vendors to delay chip equipment deliveries

#10
post #2

This makes absolutely no sense. A month ago the headline was "Apple buys every 3 nm chip that TSMC can make for next-gen iPhones and Macs" [1]. Six months ago it was a global chip shortage that had supply chains backed up around the planet. And now it's suddenly "the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand"? In the middle of a revolution in AI? Something doesn't add up here. ht…

I would imagine it has to do with the industry wide slump in demand that appeared earlier in the year.

> Samsung Electronics plans to cut back memory chip production as its operating profit in the first quarter of 2023 is expected to plummet about 96% from the previous year.

The global macroeconomic slowdown, memory chip oversupply and sluggish demand have hurt its profit, the world’s largest memory chip maker said in its preliminary earnings release on Friday.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/06/samsung-cuts-memory-chip-p...

I think it took Samsung most of a year of production cuts to clear out excess inventory.

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