Sony looks to avoid future chip shortage by building own factory

(Pocket-lint) - Sony is reportedly successful talks with Taiwan's TSMC to physique a jointly-owner spot manufacturing works successful Japan.

Sited successful Kumamoto, confederate Japan, it volition marque silicon for cars, cameras and galore different products, including imaginable aboriginal PlayStation consoles and Sony TVs. The Japanese authorities is said to beryllium consenting to put successful the task too, which volition outgo an estimated 800 cardinal yen (£5.19 billion).

Don't get your hopes up that it'll assistance get much PlayStation 5s onto shelves, however. The works won't beryllium operable until 2024 astatine the earliest.

Nikkei (via Reuters) claims that TSMC - already the world's largest third-party spot shaper - was already considering plans to grow to Japan. It presently supplies chips to Apple, Mediatek and Nvidia, truthful teaming with Sony volition beryllium a large coup for the Japanese user tech giant.

Reuters reports that neither TSMC nor Sony person commented. But, the mill makes a batch of consciousness considering the existent planetary spot shortage and uncertainty astir China's plans for the power of Taiwan.

Chip shortages person been blamed for PlayStation 5 banal issues. However, the console has besides been the fastest selling successful Sony's past - truthful request has been overmuch higher than ever before.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 11 October 2021.