Much fuss has been made of Apple’s supposed move from Samsung to TSMC chips for its future iOS devices, with a deal having recently been struck just recently seemingly confirming this to be the case from 2014. With this in mind, you would expect the Apple A9 chips, which wouldn’t theoretically make their way to market until 2015, to be produced by TSMC, right? Wrong. Reports are now suggesting that Apple’s attempt to move away from Samsung as a primary manufacturing partner is failing miserably, with the South Korean company’s expert knowledge of the field once again giving it the green light on the A9.
It’s well documented throughout the technology industry that both Apple and Samsung do not get along. Yet while the two companies have been busily suing each other across the four corners of the earth, the fact of the matter is, Samsung manufactures a helluva lot of key components in the Apple gravy train.
To stem the tide, Apple has actively been trying to distance itself from Samsung wherever possible, and the deal with TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) for its A-Series chips was seen as the biggest statement of intent. But now, it would appear that Apple, or perhaps, Samsung, are in too deep, and the partnership that has lasted for several years and spawned many an iOS device is continuing in spite of TSMC.
The report arrives courtesy of The Korea Economic Daily, and suggests Samsung and Apple have put pen to paper on an agreement in the past few hours. Since the A9 chip will use 14nm “FinFET” technology – something the Korean outfit specializes in – the Cupertino company has seen fit to opt for Samsung over its new-found partner, and if the current release pattern of iPhones continues, we could be at the iPhone 6S, or, as the report suggests, the iPhone 7 by then.
The news will certainly come as a kick in the midriff to TSMC, and will also make a bit of a mockery of the perceived distancing Apple is supposed to be doing from Samsung. With court cases aplenty, the fact that Apple relies so heavily on Samsung is rather undermining, and this A9 deal will do little to help the cause.
(via: TheKoreaEconomicDaily)
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