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GREAT-Terry
Apple should have turned to TSMC well before now. Even though the result of this ...
luting
I guess it is not all about competition between these two Companies. While all ...
TSMC test runs Apple processor, says report
Peter Clarke
7/15/2011 7:28 AM EDT
LONDON – Foundry chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. has started making the ARM-based A6 processor Apple on a trial basis, according to a Reuters report that cited an unnamed source.
The move by Apple to TSMC and away from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has been widely expected as relations between the companies at the system level have deteriorated. Samsung with its Android-based tablet computers and smartphones is a big competitor to Apple with its iPad and iPhone.
However, Reuters' source said that TSMC manufacturing is on trial with Apple and orders will depend on the yield the foundry can achieve.
Samsung has been the sole supplier of the previous iterations of the Apple processor, the A4 and the A5. The A6 is rumored to be quad-core processor implemented in a 28-nm manufacturing process.
One possibility is that Apple could seek to qualify both Samsung and TSMC and operate them as mutual second-sources and moving orders to maintain downward price pressure.
Related links and articles:
Samsung takes Apple fight to ITC
Analyst: Qualcomm in, Intel out of iPhone 5
Apple-Samsung friendship turns sour
Analyst: Apple qualifying TSMC for A6
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hm
7/15/2011 7:16 PM EDT
What percent of yield is considered ok for Apple? Will this be convntional packaging or will they do 3D packaging for A6?
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Helicopter
7/17/2011 12:03 PM EDT
It's the overall health of the line, not just a #
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kdboyce
7/16/2011 12:13 AM EDT
I am actually surprised that Apple hasn't tried this with a foundry before now. For products as popular and in-demand as the iPod/iPad/iPhone, I would have expected them to move a viable second source already on key components. Perhaps they have but it was not as public as the situation is now vis a vis competition with Samsung, so they managed to keep it under wraps.
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goafrit
7/16/2011 8:36 AM EDT
Good day for TSMC. Samsung lost big here.
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luting
7/18/2011 11:23 AM EDT
I guess it is not all about competition between these two Companies. While all major Android based SoCs moving into 28nm, Apple will have no 28nm chip for a while if it chooses to stay with Samsung.
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GREAT-Terry
7/18/2011 11:56 AM EDT
Apple should have turned to TSMC well before now. Even though the result of this trial is not satisfactory, I don't think Apple will then stop there and turn back to Samsung as the demand for their product is huge. I just wonder which company, besides Samsung and TSMC, now is large enough fulfill Apple's big appetite.
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