According to news on November 29, the second volume of TSMC founder Zhang Zhongmou’s autobiography has been officially released recently. The book reveals the cooperation process between TSMC and Apple. Zhang Zhongmou pointed out that his wife Zhang Shufen’s cousin, Hon Hai found

According to news on November 29, the second volume of the autobiography of TSMC founder Zhang Zhongmou has been officially launched recently. The book reveals the cooperation process between TSMC and Apple. Zhang Zhongmou pointed out that his wife Zhang Shufen’s cousin, Hon Hai founder Terry Gou, led Apple executive Jeff Williams to knock on the door. Although there were variables such as Intel and Samsung along the way, TSMC relied on its R&D strength to solve the problem and became one of Apple's best partners.

Zhang Zhongmou said that TSMC has regarded Apple as a potential major customer since 2007. However, Apple is not only famous for its innovation, but it is also a very confidential company. At that time, TSMC heard that Apple began to design self-developed chips and approached South Korea's Samsung Electronics. OEM. Not long after Apple opened the smartphone market, and Samsung also announced their entry into the smartphone market. He believed that TSMC had an opportunity, but still could not find a way to enter Apple.

Zhang Zhongmou mentioned in the book's chapter titled "Uninvited Guests at the Dinner Table" that on November 9, 2010, his wife Zhang Shufen said, "Terry Gou called and would bring Apple's vice president home for dinner in the evening."

Terry Gou is Zhang Shufen's wife Cousins, so they are related to each other, and Hon Hai is Apple's main foundry partner. As soon as Zhang Zhongmou heard Zhang Shufen's words, he knew that "Apple was knocking on the door." As a result, Gou brought Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer.

Zhang Zhongmou said that Jeff went straight to the point and hoped that TSMC would produce Apple-designed logic chips for Apple. Jeff also proposed an incentive for TSMC to enjoy a 40% gross profit margin.

The next day, Jeff held an intensive meeting with senior executives of TSMC, and then sent design, technology and procurement personnel to Taiwan as soon as possible to communicate closely with TSMC; in mid-December 2010, key personnel from both Apple and TSMC held a two-day intensive meeting in Hsinchu discussed and launched a cooperative relationship between TSMC and Apple.

However, in March 2011, Intel executives contacted Apple's Tim Cook and asked Apple to consider Intel OEM. After hearing that Cook was willing to agree, Apple and TSMC also "suspended negotiations."

In order to win orders from Apple, Zhang Zhongmou went to Apple headquarters in person to meet with Cook in early April 2011. Cook told Zhang Zhongmou at the time that there was no need to worry and suggested that Intel was "not good at doing foundry work." In May 2011, TSMC and Apple resumed cooperation negotiations.

Zhang Zhongmou said that many years later, Intel executives mentioned that it was a big mistake not to receive Apple business. Zhang Zhongmou believes that refusing to accept prices that customers can accept is tantamount to "not being good at OEM." TSMC's ability is to earn reasonable profits at prices that customers can accept.

In the book, Zhang Zhongmou recalled that TSMC successfully developed the 20nm process for Apple. Although Apple later turned to Samsung's 14nm foundry, after TSMC successfully mass-produced the 16nm process, Apple chose TSMC's 16nm foundry.

Zhang Zhongmou said that TSMC has learned new practices in this process, which is to develop the next half-node and the next node at the same time. The annual increase in R&D funds and the strong R&D team are of great help.

Although Zhang Zhongmou rarely had contact with Apple after his retirement in 2018, in February this year, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff made a special trip to see him. It has been more than 13 years since he was an "uninvited guest" in 2010. The two enjoyed Cantonese dim sum provided in the restaurant upstairs in the office. Jeff told Zhang Zhongmou that TSMC is one of the very few best partners of Apple, and Zhang Zhongmou was very pleased.

Editor: Xinzhixin-Linzi