alt Hacker NewsThat's exactly how it is supposed to work and Apple has outspent competitors for ages getting prio.
TSMC isn't running a charity, it sells capacity to the highest bidder.
Of course customers as big as Apple will have a relationship and insane volumes that they will be guaranteed important quotes regardless.
Why should it be short term, though?
If it takes 4 years to build a new fab and Apple is willing to commit to paying pay the price of an entire fab, for chips to be delivered in 4 years time - why not take the order and build the capacity?