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rfab
TSMC 28 2011 4Q 20 2013 4Q? 14 2015 4Q? 10 2017 4Q?
chipmonk
P.S. : A5 is at 45 nm
Report: Samsung ramping Apple's A6 chip
Peter Clarke
10/17/2011 8:43 AM EDT
Samsung is ramping production of the A6 quad-core application processor for Apple because rival foundry TSMC has yet to stabilize its own production of the same chip, according to a Korea Times report that referenced un-named Apple component suppliers as its sources.
Apple's continued reliance on Samsung's foundry operation, which is making A6 processors on a 28-nm CMOS process out of its wafer fab in Austin Texas, comes despite an increasingly litigious battle between the companies at the system level where both are seeking to prevent the sale of the others smart phones because of alleged patent infringements.
The A6 processors are destined to go into the next iteration of the Apple smartphone, the report said
"Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor chips to be used in the next iPhone," the report said quoting, but not naming, an executive from an Apple parts supplier based in Korea. "Samsung Electronics will apply its advanced 28-nanometer processing technology to produce qualified A6 mobile APs. TSMC will provide customized chips with designs from Apple, however, the volume will be very small," the report quoted the executive as saying.
"Apple isn’t taking risks. Samsung offers better pricing and capacity commitment for the A6 mobile APs," the reported quoted an executive from another Apple supplier as saying.
The same report said Geesung Choi, Samsung CEO, told reporters that COO Jae-yong Lee flew to the United States to participate in a private memorial service for the late Steve Jobs, Sunday (Oct. 16). Lee will meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook while he is in the United States to discuss several issues, the report said.
Foundry chipmaker TSMC is reported to have started trial manufacturing of the A6 processor for Apple. But TSMC has also been reported as planning to put the IC through another tape-out for the "production design" in the first quarter of 2012.
Related links and articles:
Korea Times report
TSMC's A6 processor to respin, says report
Samsung, TSMC and the A6: not OR but AND?
TSMC test runs Apple processor, says report
Samsung fabs Apple A5 processor
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Sanborn84
10/17/2011 9:07 AM EDT
Just in time for Ipad 3 in March..
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goafrit
10/17/2011 5:30 PM EDT
and iPHONE 5
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resistion
10/17/2011 9:35 AM EDT
tsmc got served. Samsung to be last one standing.
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toto555
10/17/2011 12:54 PM EDT
With today's SoC for Wireless, if you plan a TO in Q1 2012, you will never has the chip ready for production in March 2012... it will take another Quarter at least
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chanj
10/17/2011 3:10 PM EDT
Will Apple use a quad core A6 in iPad first or iPhone? In my opinion, the main driver would be the true multitasking capability. Yet, power consumption has to be considered carefully.
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goafrit
10/17/2011 5:30 PM EDT
But is Samsung not in legal battle with Apple? Are they still working together?
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Frank Eory
10/17/2011 5:42 PM EDT
This is not unheard of to have two companies simultaneously fighting each other and also doing business together.
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peter.clarke
10/18/2011 5:40 AM EDT
As i said in the article: fighting in court over smartphone patents and market introductions; supportive buyer-customer relations at the chip level.
One might think it strange that Samsung doesn't just cut Apple off, but if it did that it might damage Samsung's ability to sell chips in the future and its protestations of Chinese Walls between divisions.
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pinhead
10/17/2011 5:51 PM EDT
So this is really running in Austin? I didn't think that was a logic fab - I would have expected this chip to come our Korea.
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hm
10/17/2011 7:08 PM EDT
iPAD with A6 quad core will be very useful for product enhancement. What new functionality will it bring with it?
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resistion
10/18/2011 8:40 AM EDT
tsmc better get to 14 nm within a year and 10 nm in two years.
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rfab
11/15/2011 8:22 AM EST
TSMC 28 2011 4Q 20 2013 4Q? 14 2015 4Q? 10 2017 4Q?
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chipmonk
10/18/2011 3:02 PM EDT
Apple's A5 is a dual core processor & the die size is already 12 x 10 mm. The A6 is a quad core and even at 28 nm would be quite large. The larger the die the lower the yield, especially at the bleeding edge node.
There was a report that TSMC would prefer a multi - chip package for the A6 using Si interposer.
Does anyone know whats pushing TSMC towards that ? What about the A6 at Samsung ?
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chipmonk
10/18/2011 3:10 PM EDT
P.S. : A5 is at 45 nm
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