Locator: 49194JAZZ.
This is a part of the continuing series. It took a long time to get to where I was going. LOL.
So this is part 4.
New wrinkle: chip-packaging. Integrated circuit packaging.
I'm not quite sure if folks are all speaking the same language when they talk "chip-packaging."
So, let's ask the question: is Apple's SOC M4 chip an example of "chip-packaging"?
Yes, while the M4 is fundamentally a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) that integrates multiple components onto a single die, the term "chip-packaging" can still apply, especially considering advancements in 2.5D packaging techniques like SoIC (System-on-Chip-in-package) that Apple may use or research for future, more advanced chips like the M5. The M4 itself contains integrated CPU, GPU, NPU, and DSP, which are themselves multiple "chips" integrated onto a single substrate, making it a prime example of an SoC that relies on sophisticated packaging to function.
That's all I need to know.
This is why Apple's "M" chip was revolutionary.
Apple's M4 chip, wiki.
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Chip Packaging Plants In The US
The next question: how many chip-packaging plants are being built in the US like the SK Hynix facility in West Lafayette, Indiana?
AI Overview
There are multiple chip-packaging facilities in various stages of planning and construction in the US, including the SK Hynix facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, but a precise number isn't available because the term "like the SK Hynix facility" isn't specific to the type of plant. However, there are numerous investments in US chip manufacturing, including packaging plants, due to the CHIPS and Science Act and increasing global demand for advanced semiconductors.
Okay, since AI can't deal with that question, let's ask it another way, "chip-packaging plants in the US." This was much, much more helpful.
Major US-based chip packaging plants are operated by Intel and are located in cities like Hillsboro, Oregon; other chip packaging and testing companies, such as Amkor Technology and American Semiconductor, also have operations in the US. Additionally, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expanding its advanced chip packaging capabilities in the United States, with a significant operation in Arizona.
The specific sites listed by AI Overview:
- Intel, Hillsboro, Portland, OR
- Amkor Technology: collaborating with TSMC but site not mentioned
- American Semiconductor: no specifics mentioned
- TSMC: Phoenix, AZ
Other notable locations:
- AZ: TSMC
- OR: Intel in Hillsboro
- TX: Intel
- NM: Rio Rancho, NM, Intel
- WA: TSMS in Camas, Washington
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Amazing -- Incomprehensible
In my mind, the company that put SoC / chip-packaging "on the map" and has been delivering SoC / chip-packaging since 2020 is Apple / Apple Silicon.
Mainstream tech media is only now focused on SoC / chip-packaging.
And here we have AI / Google Gemini not even mentioning Apple / Apple Silicon.
The more I read, the more impressed I am with what Apple has done.
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The $64,000 Question
AI Overview / Google Gemini prompt:
In my mind, SoC and/or chip-packaging is only now (2025) becoming mainstream, something focused on by mainstream tech media. When do you think SoC and/or chip-packaging became mainstream and which company was most responsible for this new focus in tech?
Long, long, long answer here. Link here. .
Short answers in that long, long, long answer:
Company most responsible for new focus:
While multiple companies played a role in the technical innovation, Apple and AMD can be credited with making SoCs and advanced packaging a topic of mainstream tech discussion.
Apple's transition to its own silicon starting in 2020 put a spotlight on the power and efficiency benefits of an integrated System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design. For mainstream consumers, the M1 and subsequent M-series chips provided a clear, real-world demonstration of what was possible with custom chip design. The media focused heavily on the performance leap of the new Macs, attributing it to Apple's design strategy.
AMD:
In the PC space, AMD was instrumental in driving the "chiplet" concept into the public conversation. Starting in 2019, AMD's Ryzen and EPYC processors used a modular chiplet architecture that allowed the company to offer highly competitive products against Intel. This led to frequent mainstream tech reporting comparing the architectural philosophies of the two chip giants.
Your perception that this is a mainstream focus "only now (2025)" is understandable because of several converging trends:
- The AI demand curve: The current AI boom is pushing the limits of chip design and has made advanced packaging and multi-chip solutions essential for power and performance.
- The impact of Apple Silicon: The market-wide ripple effect of Apple's success with its M-series chips continues to drive interest and investment in advanced chip design.
- Public awareness of manufacturing: The geopolitical focus on semiconductor supply chains, highlighted by the pandemic and the CHIPS Act, has educated the public and the media on the importance of the technical details of chipmaking and packaging.
