TSMC is Reportedly Exclusive Supplier of A12 Processors in 2018 iPhones - MacRumors
Skip to Content

TSMC is Reportedly Exclusive Supplier of A12 Processors in 2018 iPhones

by

Apple has reportedly selected Taiwanese manufacturing company TSMC to remain its exclusive supplier of so-called "A12" processors for a trio of new iPhone models expected to launch in the second half of 2018, according to DigiTimes.

a12 chip
The report, citing unnamed sources within Apple's supply chain, claims the A12 chip will be manufactured based on an improved 7nm process, which should pave the way for the type of performance improvements we see in new iPhones each year.

TSMC is already the exclusive supplier of A11 Bionic chips for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, and it was also said to be the sole manufacturer of A10 Fusion chips for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

If the report is accurate, it would be a loss for Samsung, which has been attempting to win back orders from Apple for around two years. Both Samsung and TSMC supplied Apple with A9 chips for the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE, but Apple has relied upon TSMC as its sole supplier for newer devices.

The Korea Herald last July reported that Samsung had secured a deal to supply some of the A12 chips for new iPhones in 2018, but two days later, DigiTimes reported that TSMC was still likely to obtain all of the next-generation A-series chip orders for Apple's upcoming 2018 series of iPhones.

TSMC's in-house InFO wafer-level packaging is said to make its 7nm FinFET technology more competitive than Samsung's. Our own Chris Jenkins provided an in-depth technical look at this package process last September.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

115 months ago
After recent revelations, Apple really need to start to re-think their strategy with regard to iPhones and their processors.

The A12 will be screaming fast but now is a good a time as ever to start underclocking them. iPhones don't need to be so fast, they're already more than adequate for any task you can throw at it for the next few years.

What they sorely need right now is to be reliable, with a long battery life, a long shelf life and not suffer artificial slowdown or power cut outs at 30% after a year. Underclocking can help with this.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
115 months ago
Or they can use a higher quality and larger battery that won't lose its ability to push out a consistent voltage after 1 year. Sire battery tech is to blame, but it can be mitigated with better batteries. Look at the iPad.. no problems.
That as well.

They need to attack this problem from all sides if they want to regain lost trust.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
115 months ago
After recent revelations, Apple really need to start to re-think their strategy with regard to iPhones and their processors.

The A12 will be screaming fast but now is a good a time as ever to start underclocking them. iPhones don't need to be so fast, they're already more than adequate for any task you can throw at it for the next few years.

What they sorely need right now is to be reliable, with a long battery life, a long shelf life and not suffer artificial slowdown or power cut outs at 30% after a year. Underclocking can help with this.
Or they can use a higher quality and larger battery that won't lose its ability to push out a consistent voltage after 1 year. Sire battery tech is to blame, but it can be mitigated with better batteries. Look at the iPad.. no problems.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
115 months ago
If the report is accurate, it would be a loss for Samsung, which has been attempting to win back orders from Apple for around two years.
Worse, a loss for Austin,Texas and the USA, since Samsung used a factory they built there, to supply Apple processors for years.

Thanks, Apple, for sending jobs overseas... again.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
115 months ago
After recent revelations, Apple really need to start to re-think their strategy with regard to iPhones and their processors.

The A12 will be screaming fast but now is a good a time as ever to start underclocking them. iPhones don't need to be so fast, they're already more than adequate for any task you can throw at it for the next few years.

What they sorely need right now is to be reliable, with a long battery life, a long shelf life and not suffer artificial slowdown or power cut outs at 30% after a year. Underclocking can help with this.
If only it were that simple. Yes, for surfing the web, reading email, etc., current chips are overkill, but that processing power is needed for certain limited tasks, such as computational photography, AR/VR, etc, and no, smart phones are not powerful enough to deal with future needs by any means. AR/VR and other technologies will require ever more powerful silicon.

Fortunately, Apple has some of the best chips designers and engineers in the world, and Apple, and other manufacturers, instead use a multi-core approach, to handle the problem of dealing with processor intensive tasks and battery life. That's why you have the A10 Fusion multi-core chip which wowed the tech world.

"The high-efficiency cores are optimized for low power, and consume just a fifth of the power of the faster cores. The iPhone 7 will switch to those cores, and power down the more powerful options, when you’re performing a task like checking your email. That all translates into longer battery life: 12 to 13 hours for browsing over LTE, or about two hours more than the iPhone 6s."
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
riverfreak Avatar
115 months ago
Now that this is settled, bring on the X+ parts leaks!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone Duo Hinge Feature 1

Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%

Wednesday October 21, 2026 11:23 pm PDT by
Strong pre-orders have reportedly prompted Apple to order millions more iPhone Duo units from suppliers, according to DigiTimes. Supply chain sources said Foxconn and component manufacturers had received instructions reflecting a roughly 44% increase from 9.7 million to 14 million devices. The revised target reportedly follows strong pre-orders for Apple's first foldable iPhone and covers a...
iPhone Duo Hinge Feature 3

iPhone Duo Demand Reportedly Exceeds Apple's Expectations

Thursday October 22, 2026 9:24 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone Duo has attracted more pre-orders than the company anticipated in several major markets, according to DigiTimes, with display chip suppliers hoping its reception will boost investment in foldable devices. Sources in the display driver industry believe the iPhone Duo could give other smartphone makers greater confidence in foldables, expanding the market for OLED touch and...
Apple Environment Feature

Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions

Wednesday October 21, 2026 10:15 pm PDT by
Apple's efforts to cut supply chain emissions face persistent challenges among printed circuit board manufacturers, where demand for more advanced components is increasing energy consumption, according to DigiTimes. The report says requirements from Apple and Google are prompting suppliers to publish sustainability reports, buy more renewable electricity, and work with their own suppliers to ...
Latest Stories
Apple Requiring Developers to Disclose Location Sharing and Dating Features in Apps
Apple Requiring Developers to Disclose Location Sharing and Dating Features in Apps
7 hours ago
Apple's Q4 2026 Earnings Call Takeaways
Apple's Q4 2026 Earnings Call Takeaways
7 hours ago
Apple Dodges Question on More Price Hikes as Memory Costs Climb
Apple Dodges Question on More Price Hikes as Memory Costs Climb
8 hours ago
Apple CEO Ternus Says iPhone Duo Shortages Have No End Date in Sight
Apple CEO Ternus Says iPhone Duo Shortages Have No End Date in Sight
10 hours ago
Apple Reports 4Q 2026 Results: $30.7B Profit on $114.5B Revenue
Apple Reports 4Q 2026 Results: $30.7B Profit on $114.5B Revenue
10 hours ago
Early Black Friday Brings Steep Price Drops on Apple's Latest iPhone Cases
Early Black Friday Brings Steep Price Drops on Apple's Latest iPhone Cases
13 hours ago
John Ternus Hosting His First Earnings Call as Apple CEO Today
John Ternus Hosting His First Earnings Call as Apple CEO Today
14 hours ago
Here's What Spotify Looks Like on Apple's HomeView
Here's What Spotify Looks Like on Apple's HomeView
15 hours ago
iOS 27.2.1 Coming Soon, iOS 27.3 Beta Likely Available Tomorrow
iOS 27.2.1 Coming Soon, iOS 27.3 Beta Likely Available Tomorrow
16 hours ago
Mark Gurman: Apple Initially Aimed to Release iPhone Duo in November
Mark Gurman: Apple Initially Aimed to Release iPhone Duo in November
16 hours ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on Apple Products Available Now
Best Early Black Friday Deals on Apple Products Available Now
16 hours ago
Apple Isn't Done With 2026: Here's What's Still Coming
Apple Isn't Done With 2026: Here's What's Still Coming
16 hours ago
Apple 'HomeView Ultra' With 9-Inch 360º Screen Detailed in New Report
Apple 'HomeView Ultra' With 9-Inch 360º Screen Detailed in New Report
17 hours ago
Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Returns at Amazon
Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Returns at Amazon
17 hours ago
Zoom and These Microsoft Apps Now Optimized for iPhone Duo
Zoom and These Microsoft Apps Now Optimized for iPhone Duo
18 hours ago
Canva Brings Free All-in-One Affinity App to iPad
Canva Brings Free All-in-One Affinity App to iPad
18 hours ago
iPhone Duo: Latest Buyer Wait Times
iPhone Duo: Latest Buyer Wait Times
19 hours ago
iPhone Duo Owners Can't Change Display Zoom After Setup
iPhone Duo Owners Can't Change Display Zoom After Setup
16 hours ago
Apple HomeView Could Double as a Security Camera
Apple HomeView Could Double as a Security Camera
22 hours ago
Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday
Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday
23 hours ago
Nearly Every M5 MacBook Air Now $200 Off on Amazon
Nearly Every M5 MacBook Air Now $200 Off on Amazon
2 days ago
Apple's HomeView Ships With Six-Month-Old Software
Apple's HomeView Ships With Six-Month-Old Software
2 days ago
Three New iPads Rumored to Launch in First Half of 2027
Three New iPads Rumored to Launch in First Half of 2027
2 days ago
Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch
Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch
2 days ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
3 days ago
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
3 days ago
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
3 days ago
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
3 days ago
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
3 days ago
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
3 days ago