TSMC

Samsung, TSMC and Intel competing for contracts to build A7 chips for Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2017

Another report surfaced this morning that gives us more reasons to believe that Apple is indeed looking to diversify its chip making contracts which thus far have been an exclusive Samsung domain. The somewhat accurate Asian trade publication DigiTimes quoted "institutional investors" who believe that chip giant Intel has been contracted to produce about ten percent of Apple's planned capacity for a next-generation iPhone and iPad processor, the A7 chip.

Moreover, Apple is apparently spreading those orders across Samsung, Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung will reportedly build about half of Apple's A7 orders, TSMC should take care of an additional 40 percent while Intel will get the remaining ten percent of orders. Rumor mills have been reporting for at least a year that Apple has been looking to move its chip biz away from rival Samsung, which currently builds all iPhone, iPad and iPod processors at its Austin, Texas plant...

Foxconn and TSMC recruit 5,000 workers each ahead of Apple product launches

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 11, 2013

Apple's contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry - also know in the Western world as the controversial Foxconn - and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, will each add 5,000 new jobs just as Apple is conveniently expected to refresh its existing product families and possibly venture into the HD TV and smartwatch markets. If true, the report could also explain "the worst February" Topeka Capital has seen in terms of Apple's supply chain procurement of components...

Apple said to be using Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC in upcoming budget iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ March 8, 2013

If Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and oh, I don't know, about a dozen other outlets are to be believed, Apple is going to introduce a lower-cost iPhone this year. It's said to feature a hybrid metal/plastic shell, and retail for less than $300.

Outside of those few details, though, we know very little about the handset. But a new report out of China this morning allegedly has new intel on the device, claiming it will use a Qualcomm-made SoC and go into production next month...

Apple may have ordered ‘very large volume’ of chips from TSMC

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 22, 2013

Morris Chang, Chairman and CEO of the world's largest semiconductor foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), said in a recent earnings call that his company's 20 nanometer process technology will outsell the existing 28 nanometer tech in its first two years. “Enough discussions have taken place, with enough customers who have large requirements (on 20nm), to lead us to believe that the volume will be very large”, he said without specifically mentioning Apple.

Of course, TSMC also makes chips for Qualcomm, Nvidia and other tech giants, but recently rumors have swirled that Apple is about to drop Samsung as a chip supplier and turn to TSMC, which will invest $9 billion this year while spending even more in capital expenditure in 2014 as it moves toward the more advanced 20nm and 16nm process technologies...

Volume production of Apple silicon looms as TSMC’s 2013 wafer shipments triple

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 18, 2013

Following up on talk that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is prepping to manufacture Apple’s A6X processor and whispers of Tim Cook & Co. negotiating a deal with the foundry to make mobile chips for iOS devices on its 20 nanometer process technology, China Times now quotes Chairman and CEO Morris Chang's words that TSMC is close to achieving a hundred percent market share on its 28nm process technology.

But why have TSCM's wafer shipments all of a sudden tripled, allowing it to achieve a virtual monopoly on the 28nm silicon? That's where the Apple link comes into full view...

TSMC contracted to fab a cutting-edge chip for a ‘breakthrough’ Apple device

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 16, 2013

Samsung for the time being remains an exclusive maker of the Apple-designed engine that powers iPhones, iPads and iPods. Apple's chips are being fabbed on Samsung's High-κ metal gate 32 nanometer process at its $14 billion semiconductor plant in Austin, Texas. But not for any much longer.

We've been hearing lots of rumors lately that rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, has entered Apple's supply chain with trial production of Apple's A6X processor.

As the iPhone maker is reportedly accelerating plans to make a jump to TSMC for all of its mobile chips, now comes word that the Taiwan foundry will pretty soon start building on its 20 nanometer process technology a next-gen processor for a "breakthrough" Apple device...

Samsung looks to China as Apple cuts chip orders

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Samsung is preparing for the day Apple - its rival and largest customer - stops placing orders with the South Korean corporation. Ahead of a CES keynote speech, a Samsung executive said it is looking to court Chinese smartphone makers which use the company's own Exynos-branded chips.

After a string of contentious court battles, Apple is planning to untangle itself from Samsung, finding new suppliers. Although Apple is expected to spend $80 billion with Samsung for everything from CPUs, flash memory and flat screens, the paycheck could shrink 80 percent by 2017, according to a Wall Street analysis...

Apple reportedly moves A6X chip production from Samsung to TSMC

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

According to a new report, Apple has tapped Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (or TSMC) to start manufacturing its A6X chip, which it introduced in its 4th gen iPad, with trials expected to begin as early as this quarter.

The move has been a hot topic in the media for several months now, as it will help Apple further reduce its reliance on Samsung. Tensions continue to grow between the two companies, who are involved in patent suits around the globe...

TSMC CEO insists US chip plant has nothing to do with Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 21, 2012

Apple has lately been rumored to have been moving some production lines to the United States amid whispers of a $10 billion silicon manufacturing facility being considered in the country. Various reports mention both New York and Oregon for this project, code-named Azalea.

And because of its reported $10 billion construction cost, there are some who suspect Project Azalea is a chip-making plant for Apple’s products aimed at replacing Samsung. Remember, the Galaxy maker semiconductor arm's $14 billion Austin, Texas facility exclusively churns out Apple-designed mobile chips that serve as the engine for the iPhone and iPad.

The rumor-mill has been adamant that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, will run the upcoming US facility in co-operation with Apple, but now TSMC CEO has issued a somewhat weak denial...

Talk of purported Apple chip plant ‘Project Azalea’ pops up in Oregon

Cody Lee ∙ December 19, 2012

Last week, an interesting report popped up regarding 'Project Azalea,' a mysterious plan for a 3.2 million-square-foot production facility being pitched to New York economic development officials by an unidentified company. Because of its reported $10 billion construction cost, the general consensus is that it's likely a chip-making plant. And rumor has it that it's for Apple's products.

The theory is that the Cupertino company could be behind this Azalea project, along with a major manufacturer like Foxconn or TSMC. It's no secret that Apple is trying to move its mobile chip business away from Samsung, and a new $10B fab plant would definitely help out with that. The question is, where is it going to be built? Because Azalea talk just popped up in Oregon...

Project Azalea: a $10 billion Apple mobile chip plant

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 12, 2012

We've suspected for a while now that Apple's been making moves ultimately aimed at taking its chip contract elsewhere. Clearly Apple ain't interested (any longer than it needs to) in letting Samsung enjoy an early peek at the technological solutions developed for the engine that drives its iPhones and iPads.

Currently, all of Apple's in-house designed A-series processors are being built exclusively by Samsung in its $14 billion chip plant in Austin, Texas.

The iPhone maker was also rumored to be contemplating a switch to Intel's x86 mobile chips for iPads, as outrageous as the very thought of it may seem.

But what if Tim Cook and his newly-minted chief of Technologies and long-time hardware expert Bob Mansfield have a radical solution in mind? A report Wednesday has it that the California firm could be seeking to invest up to ten billion dollars into a dedicated chip fab in New York, presumably in order to take control of its silicon destiny...

Apple accelerating plans to make a jump to TSMC for mobile chips

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2012

Last time we heard, Apple was going to move its mobile chip production from Samsung's $14 billion Texas facility to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry, some time in 2014. But according to Taipei Times, the company could make the jump earlier than expected as it's now looking to tap TSMC's fabrication capability to make next-gen processors for iPhones and iPads as soon as the second quarter of 2013, using TSMC's 28-nanometer process...