The Korea Times reports that Samsung has been excluded from Apple's plans for its next-generation A7 system-on-a-chip expected to be released next year to power upcoming iOS devices. According to the report, Apple is moving forward with plans to shift production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
"Apple is sharing confidential data for its next A7 system-on-chip (SoC) with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). TSMC has begun ordering its contractors to supply equipment to produce Apple's next processors using a finer 20-nanometer level processing technology," said an executive at one of Samsung's local partners in Korea by telephone, Wednesday.
Other sources report that Samsung is hoping its own handsets can fill the gap to be left by Apple, as the firm has made significant investments in its processor production facilities, but that some lines may have to be shut down. Samsung is also seeking to increase its work producing graphics chips for NVIDIA.
The report follows similar claims from Taiwanese media last week, which indicated that Apple and TSMC were pushing forward on a 20-nm A7 design for launch early next year. Last month it was reported that Apple and TSMC had taped out a design for the A7, although considerable work remains before the chip will enter production.
With Apple's 20-nm A7 not expected until next year, it appears that the company's 2013 iOS device lineup will have to make use of other alternatives such as a die shrink of the current A6 chip from 32-nm to 28-nm or a more substantially reworked A6 chip. Apple could conceivably also have a new "A7" chip ready to go at 28-nm ahead of the move to the smaller and more efficient 20-nm process node next year.
Top Rated Comments
If I create something incredible, then hand over the schematics to a company that is my primary competitor, am I being stupid?
Yes.
You have to be joking? After all the investment Samsung out in? Having several production lines come to a complete stop is bad for business. You have workers on payroll but you are not producing anything. This will affect Samsung. How much, we'll never know. But it is cause for their concern. Although it poetic justice as they were biting the hand that was feeding them.
Samsung makes incredibly high quality components, as a consumer it's in your interest to have components as good as possible in the device you buy. This move is not in the interest of consumers at all, it's all about Apple's own interests.
BTW, how is that Maps celebration going? Have you found the party yet or did you go off route again?
samsung has done a commendable job with the chips.
when did anyone here have issues with their cpus?
that's right none.
Thank you samsung.
love you long time.
Speaking as an ASIC designer that's done several high-volume products with TSMC (including the XBox360), the real reason Apple is going with TSMC is that they're just cheaper.
If Samsung was a good part supplier, use them.
If Apple took care of their own house by continuing to be creative and innovate, they wouldn't have to worry about Samsung. Honestly I don't know why they'd worry about Samsung in the first place. Their phones run Android. Android is garbage that looks and feels like a middle school kid coded it during 5th period.
I feel like so many of Apple's "problems" have arisen because they have tried to appeal to the masses. They didn't earn that stockpile of cash by following, but by leading.
Get back to the basics and quit with the ******* games.
/end rant. :cool: