News & Analysis
Comment
gumpiko
Thanks for all the great small business tips! Its nice to have a place to come ...
KB3001
Hardly surprising. Samsung is a competitor of Apple in the phone and tablet ...
Apple, TSMC to expand foundry ties
Mark Lapedus
3/8/2011 6:42 PM EST
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Rumors are running rampant that Apple Inc. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) are expanding their foundry ties-a possible blow for Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
With little or no fanfare, Apple and TSMC have recently entered into a foundry relationship, sources said. As reported, TSMC will make the A5 dual-core processor on a foundry basis for Apple’s iPad 2. That can be read here and here.
Apple will use TSMC’s 40-nm process for the A5, according to a source. ‘’Apple will also work with TSMC on 28-nm’’ processes, according to a source.
This could be seen as a setback for Samsung. Samsung is making the A4 processor on a foundry basis for Apple’s original iPad. Samsung is also making the processor for the iPhone. It’s unclear if Samsung will make the A5 for Apple.
Apple itself designed the A4, A5 and processor for the iPhone. The processors are based on ARM's technology.
Apple, according to the source, will use TSMC for three reasons: 1. Samsung competes with the iPhone and iPad; 2. TSMC has the highest yielding 40-nm process in the foundry world; and 3. TSMC has the most 40-nm capacity.
Samsung, Motorola, RIM and a plethora of others are also selling tablet PCs. ''Overall inventories are healthy at the moment, but there are concerns of component overbuild in tablet space,'' according to a new report from VLSI Research.
''This is driven in part by overly optimistic unit growth, especially for non-Apple tablets where there’s a plethora of new devices (we’re tracking more than 200 SKUs). Moreover, as the tablet war shifts into the pricing front, many companies will find it difficult to compete with Apple, which has a significant cost advantage over the competition,'' according to the report. ''While some of these tables will likely gain traction in the market place, many others will not. If the tablet build up turns into a glut late in the year, foundries are likely to suffer, given their aggressive capital expansion plans.''
Still, ''iPad 2 production ramping faster than expected,'' according to a report from FBR. ''Our contacts now see 1Q11 iPad production at 5.5 million units, up from 5.1 million units previously. Importantly, iPad 2 production is now set at about 2 million units, up from about 300,000 units previously, as some key bottlenecks (likely touch panel availability) were addressed in time to meaningfully ramp
March production.''
For 2Q11, ''our contacts now see 7.2 million units of iPad production, up from our prior forecast of 7.0 million units. Importantly, almost all of the 2Q11 production is of iPad 2 devices, meaningfully ahead of the prior iPad 2 production ramp plans,'' according to the report.
''Our contacts expect 45 million iPads produced in 2011. Our contacts continue to expect 45 million iPad builds in calendar 2011, meaningfully ahead of the Street. When looking at the linearity of 1H11 (13 million units) and 2H11 (32 million units) iPad production, it seems Apple is planning on some very large iPad 2 sales volumes in 2H11 in order to achieve its annual target, with even cheaper price points likely necessary in order to achieve these 2H11 volumes,'' according to the report.
With little or no fanfare, Apple and TSMC have recently entered into a foundry relationship, sources said. As reported, TSMC will make the A5 dual-core processor on a foundry basis for Apple’s iPad 2. That can be read here and here.
Apple will use TSMC’s 40-nm process for the A5, according to a source. ‘’Apple will also work with TSMC on 28-nm’’ processes, according to a source.
This could be seen as a setback for Samsung. Samsung is making the A4 processor on a foundry basis for Apple’s original iPad. Samsung is also making the processor for the iPhone. It’s unclear if Samsung will make the A5 for Apple.
Apple itself designed the A4, A5 and processor for the iPhone. The processors are based on ARM's technology.
Apple, according to the source, will use TSMC for three reasons: 1. Samsung competes with the iPhone and iPad; 2. TSMC has the highest yielding 40-nm process in the foundry world; and 3. TSMC has the most 40-nm capacity.
Samsung, Motorola, RIM and a plethora of others are also selling tablet PCs. ''Overall inventories are healthy at the moment, but there are concerns of component overbuild in tablet space,'' according to a new report from VLSI Research.
''This is driven in part by overly optimistic unit growth, especially for non-Apple tablets where there’s a plethora of new devices (we’re tracking more than 200 SKUs). Moreover, as the tablet war shifts into the pricing front, many companies will find it difficult to compete with Apple, which has a significant cost advantage over the competition,'' according to the report. ''While some of these tables will likely gain traction in the market place, many others will not. If the tablet build up turns into a glut late in the year, foundries are likely to suffer, given their aggressive capital expansion plans.''
Still, ''iPad 2 production ramping faster than expected,'' according to a report from FBR. ''Our contacts now see 1Q11 iPad production at 5.5 million units, up from 5.1 million units previously. Importantly, iPad 2 production is now set at about 2 million units, up from about 300,000 units previously, as some key bottlenecks (likely touch panel availability) were addressed in time to meaningfully ramp
March production.''
For 2Q11, ''our contacts now see 7.2 million units of iPad production, up from our prior forecast of 7.0 million units. Importantly, almost all of the 2Q11 production is of iPad 2 devices, meaningfully ahead of the prior iPad 2 production ramp plans,'' according to the report.
''Our contacts expect 45 million iPads produced in 2011. Our contacts continue to expect 45 million iPad builds in calendar 2011, meaningfully ahead of the Street. When looking at the linearity of 1H11 (13 million units) and 2H11 (32 million units) iPad production, it seems Apple is planning on some very large iPad 2 sales volumes in 2H11 in order to achieve its annual target, with even cheaper price points likely necessary in order to achieve these 2H11 volumes,'' according to the report.
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
eewiz
3/8/2011 9:36 PM EST
There is no way Apple can fab all its latest processors in Samsung Fabs, as they are in direct competition with Apple in the phone business. Samsung must have seen this coming from long back.
Sign in to Reply
the_floating_ gate
3/8/2011 11:55 PM EST
Look at the competitive landscape in foundry land:
UMC is second tier
SMIC is third tier
Samsung is somewhat captive - it's not necessarily a set back; Samsung's cost base should be superior compared to Apple because they make practically everything
TSMC is number ONE
Global Foundries is a wild card
28nm is a very capital intensive node
Sign in to Reply
yalanand
3/9/2011 9:13 AM EST
This measure from APPLE was expected. Samsung is directly competing with APPLE in both mobile and tablet front. Any idea where motorola XOOM is being built?
Sign in to Reply
jahn686868
3/9/2011 4:40 PM EST
Still TSMC. 90% ARM-based APU is foundired by tsmc. If Apple in, then 100% now.
Sign in to Reply
GREAT-Terry
3/9/2011 11:34 AM EST
It is smart for Apple to switch from Samsung to TSMC. Cost is one of the concern, capacity is another.
Sign in to Reply
goafrit
3/9/2011 3:04 PM EST
Was Apple chip made in TSMC foundry? What is made now in America?
Sign in to Reply
goafrit
3/9/2011 3:04 PM EST
Of course, Samsung must have planned for this. You cannnot keep your enemy in business. Samsumg, thou shall not compete with App heads-on
Sign in to Reply
hm
3/9/2011 4:55 PM EST
It can be TSMC or Samsung or both but imprtant thing is reducing price of iPAD to ward off impending stiff competiontion.
Sign in to Reply
eewiz
3/9/2011 8:08 PM EST
You think Apple is going to reduce iPad prices to ward off competition? It never happened for their Notebooks and Phones yet
Sign in to Reply
Warren
3/9/2011 5:44 PM EST
Well I am thinking that Samsung is seriously disappointed. They seem sincere that they want to succeed in the foundry business but if every potential customer can't get past Samsung being a [potential] competitor then it's going to be a tough road ahead since Samsung competes in a LOT of areas where semiconductors are deployed. Furthermore, reported within these EETimes pages in February Otellini pointed out that the foundry biz could be a rough one over the next few years due to oversupply... and if true then this announcement has got to represent a real bad way to start 2011. I also think it's hilarious that reason #2 for Apple to change horses is 40nm production; in March, 2010 Samsung made its case for better foundry outlook based on its 4xnm manufacturing, and in early 2009 reportedly one over Xilinx also based on its 4xnm roadmap. Possibly all of this may be a manifestation of what Ottellini stated in the February 18 article... that "Foundries make money not on the leading-edge but on the trailing edge, with long running products." Samsung was the right choice, competition or no, to boot-strap a lively new compute platform while the run-on products will do better (economically speaking) with a foundry that keeps cost LOW and does a fine job with trailing edge technology.
Sign in to Reply
PHW_#1
3/9/2011 8:54 PM EST
Paul's comment only right about global foundry camp including Samsung. Samsung has enough market to support their own fab's capacity. TSMC defines the specs for all 45/40/28 IDM/design houses. Global foundries "matched" to TSMC's specs in 45/40. TSMC and global foundries diverted a lot in 28nm. Apple has no choice in 28nm,just like Qualcom/TI/nVidia/AMD... Majority design house can't trust global foundries for manufacturing from past experience. You need to pay entrance fee for doing 28nm desgin in TSMC. It is not like you have alternatives in advanced technology. TSMC makes a lot of money in leading edge, their gross margin is no less than Intel and a lot of design houses are paying their future RD development fee. Too bad, no real players right now can compete with TSMC.
Sign in to Reply
Warren
3/10/2011 1:41 PM EST
Thanks for the reply/comment @PHW_#1, it looks like it could be good information and a good qualification well worth noting. Do you happen to have knowledge if Apple's technology concerns went beyond cost? Besides the "in competition" aspect, the article makes it sound as if cost is THE motivating factor for them.
Sign in to Reply
selinz
3/9/2011 7:42 PM EST
If samsung weren't offereing superior specs to the iphone and ipad, Apple would have less to worry about. Apple cannot afford to show their cards to their opponent and continue to win hands!
Sign in to Reply
agk
3/10/2011 10:52 AM EST
The world is competitive.Every manufacturer wants to sell and win the good hearts of the people. Definitely to succeed bishops ideas will be put.
Sign in to Reply
KB3001
3/15/2011 8:01 PM EDT
Hardly surprising. Samsung is a competitor of Apple in the phone and tablet segment, so it makes sense for Apple to fab their processors elsewhere. If that's a sign of things to come, Samsung will perhaps spin-off its foundry business.
Sign in to Reply
gumpiko
4/3/2012 9:04 PM EDT
Thanks for all the great small business tips! Its nice to have a place to come to to talk with other small business owners !
http://www.tarads.com/
Sign in to Reply