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Samsung and GlobalFoundries to Produce Apple's 14-nm A9 Chips in 2015

Tuesday July 1, 2014 2:58 am PDT by Richard Padilla
apple_a7 Samsung and GlobalFoundries have landed orders from Apple to produce the 14-nanometer A9 processor starting next year, reports DigiTimes. The 14nm chips will be rolled out of GlobalFoundries' Fab 8 factory in Malta, New York, which Samsung will also use to produce Apple's A-series chips.
According to Samsung and Globalfoundries' roadmap, the two foundries plan to push their initial 14nm LPE (low power early) process, which was verified in February, into risk production in the fourth quarter of 2014 and small volume production in early 2015, the sources indicated.
The report also notes that longtime Apple partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will attempt to secure orders for Apple's A9 chip by introducing new semiconductor processes by early next year. Apple is also reportedly considering Intel as a partner to produce the A9, according to the sources.

Last year, it was reported that Samsung and TSMC would be sharing production of Apple's A9 chip in 2015, with the former producing 30% to 40% of the total order. Samsung and GlobalFoundries have aided each other throughout the past year, with Samsung helping set up the Fab 8 factory last year and GlobalFoundries providing the backup location when needed. Samsung and GlobalFoundries announced in April that they would be adopting the same chip production process to prepare for next-generation mobile devices.

Apple's 14-nanometer A9 processors are expected to be used in the company's 2015 iPhones and iPads. Meanwhile, this year's forthcoming iPhone 6, iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 are expected to use Apple's 20-nanometer A8 processor, which is being produced by TSMC. Samsung was said to be splitting the production load for the A8 with TSMC, however the company is said to have dropped out due to low yields.

Tag: digitimes.com
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maflynn
66 months ago

I'm getting an iPhone 6 this year and just glad the processor WON'T be made by samsung! They are low quality rubbish.


So are all the prior iPads, and iPhones rubbish because Samsung is rubbish, they also make a lot of memory that goes into Macs, people also clamor for the displays that Samsung make. :rolleyes:
Rating: 32 Votes
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johnnnw
66 months ago

I'm getting an iPhone 6 this year and just glad the processor WON'T be made by samsung! They are low quality rubbish.


Blah blah I use an iPhone and hate samsung phones so I compare that to component manufacturing I unknowingly use in all my electronics,

Hate to tell you but there may be samsung components in your MacBook. Sorry if this means you will need to sell it.
Rating: 25 Votes
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69Mustang
66 months ago

I'm getting an iPhone 6 this year and just glad the processor WON'T be made by samsung! They are low quality rubbish.


You picked the wrong thread for Samsung hate. Their components and capacity are top notch. Maybe you will get lucky and Apple and Samsung will sue each other again. Then you can express all the fanboyism your heart desires.:eek:
Rating: 17 Votes
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Steve121178
66 months ago

I'm getting an iPhone 6 this year and just glad the processor WON'T be made by samsung! They are low quality rubbish.


I'm not sure where to start with this post.

If I were to choose a vendor to produce my chips I wouldn't look any further than Samsung. I'd also use them for as many components as possible, especially storage.
Rating: 14 Votes
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EldonChew
66 months ago

So this year no 14-nm chip? we will get the same 20-nm ?


What is "same"? The A7 is a 28-nm chip.
Rating: 12 Votes
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apolloa
66 months ago

I'm getting an iPhone 6 this year and just glad the processor WON'T be made by samsung! They are low quality rubbish.


Ah, so you won't be buying any iDevice next year than, or the year after that, or the year after that...

And you won't be buying any Mac computer, but what if heaven forbid you buy an iDevice at any time and it has Samsung display? What you going to do then? It is very scary the thought of purchasing an Apple device that performs brilliantly and looks great thanks to Samsungs displays and components!
Rating: 8 Votes
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maflynn
66 months ago

Does anyone other than Samsung ever get production of new Apple chips? Ever time there are all these rumors about some foundry or other(s)—TSMC, Intel, etc.—getting part or all of the production, but in the end Samsung gets the contract every single time. I'm going to start ignoring these rumors. I mean hey, the chips are awesome so Samsung is doing something right, but the rumors are always rubbish.


Because Samsung is really the only foundry that can produce the chips in the volume, quality yields and price that Apple wants.
Rating: 7 Votes
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kdarling
66 months ago
It's easy to tell that school's out for the summer.
Rating: 7 Votes
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maflynn
66 months ago

Don't know but I just know that samsung makes poor quality products.


Go to the MacBook Forum and the Samsung SSDs are the most recommended product for the MBPs.

Your hatred of samsung has no basis on the quality of the product. They make excellent Tvs, computer products, Apple uses them extensively so by extension you're saying apple products are poor quality because they rely so heavily on Samsung. :eek:
Rating: 6 Votes
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sc4rf4c3
66 months ago

I will be returning my iPhone 6 if I find out it uses a Samsung-made display, CPU, or RAM. Everything they make is low quality garbage.

I can perhaps overlook other minor parts (a sort of a don't ask, don't tell) but these critical components should not be made by Samsung.


Ignorance at its finest.
Rating: 6 Votes

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