[tiffanyh]

Doesn't Apple pay for exclusive access to N, and N+1 nodes ... shutting everyone else out from using newer node sizes.

[brookst]

That’s my understanding, more or less. It’s not like Apple pays to have capacity sitting idle, they just outbid everyone else to buy (and use) 100% of capacity.

[tiffanyh]

I believe Apple also gives/pays TSMC for the capital needed to even do the R&D to shrink the nodes in the first place.