TSMC

Apple’s rumored chip switch understood to upset hotshots Nvidia and Qualcomm

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple's been distancing itself from Samsung for quite some time, by purchasing components elsewhere. The company recently added new display and battery providers to its supply chain.

This summer, it started increasing spending on Elpida memory chip at Samsung's expense.

But as Apple increasingly sources major components from other suppliers, it has yet to make a switch to a non-Samsung silicon foundry. According to the latest chatter from Asia, Tim Cook and Co. remain adamant to take Apple's chip making contract to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) as early as possible.

But though TSMC, the world's largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry, has enough capacity to make the 200 million+ processors Apple needs annually for iPhones, iPads and iPods, such a move bears a significant risk of upsetting TSMC's major buyers such as Nvidia and Qualcomm...

Apple picks new battery supplier, drops Samsung

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 23, 2012

Apple has chosen two China-based battery companies to supply the iPad and MacBook, says a Friday report. Amperex Technology Limited and Tianjin Lishen Battery would replace Samsung SDI, a subsidiary of the South Korean firm that is both Apple's chief rival and largest supplier. The report is just the latest indicating Samsung and Apple are reconsidering their close relationship.

As the two smartphone giants attempt to out-compete each other in the courtroom and store shelves, Samsung's role appears to be shifting from major supplier to important manufacturer...

Rumor: next-gen iPad, iPhone expected around the middle of 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2012

If the latest rumor out of Asia is anything to go by, this year's Fall release of the iPhone 5 was an anomaly as Apple could be reverting back to its mid-year refresh cycle for the iPhone. At the same time, the company is rumored to be releasing a next-generation iPad around the middle of 2013, breaking away from its usual first-quarter release schedule for the tablet. As always, it pays to take the news with a grain of salt as this comes via the somewhat reliable DigiTimes...

Apple and Samsung might not be best frenemies forever

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple is quickly cutting its ties to Samsung, moving from a bizarre frenemy relationship to a "one-dimensional" acquaintance. The iPhone 5's A6 chip marked the first time the Cupertino, Calif. company did all the designing and the South Korean rival simply manufactured the silicon.

The relationship between the two companies is "about to become one-dimensional," writes The Korea Time, citing a Samsung source. For some time, Apple and Samsung have been technology's odd couple, one day suing each other and the next cooperating to design and build chips for the iPhone...

Report: TSMC to begin making quad-core mobile chips for Apple beginning 2014

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 20, 2017

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry with its headquarters located in the Hsinchu Science Park in Hsinchu, Taiwan, will according to an analyst's research note begin making next-generation quad-core mobile chips for iPhones, iPod touches and iPads sometime in 2014. We heard before that TSMC has a “good chance” of winning Apple’s chip biz in 2014 and this report reaffirms the notion...

Apple could be close to shifting CPU orders away from Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 14, 2012

The iPhone 5 comes with a brand new Apple-designed A6 chip for a twofold jump in CPU/GPU performance. In fact, the iPhone 5 could easily be the first ARM Cortex-A15 smartphone on the market. The A6 is likely manufactured on Samsung's 32-nanometer process, but probably not for long as Apple has been looking to take its chip contract elsewhere.

There ain't many places to go: Intel sucks at power management and Samsung is #2 chip vendor in the world. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), however, is the world's largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry and Apple could be closer than previously thought to shifting production contracts away from Samsung and towards TSMC.

Can you say "stock plunge"?

Apple’s $1B can’t buy exclusive TSMC chip deal

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Nowadays, $1 billion doesn't get as much as it used to. That's what Apple reportedly discovered when it and Qualcomm each offered $1 billion for exclusive access to the production output of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest chip producer. TSMC turned both companies down flat, reports Bloomberg.

Maybe TSMC has been following the Apple-Samsung trial. Back in 2011, before the two rivals' frenemies relationship had turned downright rabid. The Cupertino, Calif. company plunked down $7.8 billion for Samsung parts, turning it into the South Korean firm's largest customer. TSMC's finance chief wanted nothing of that.

Report: TSMC has a “good chance” of winning Apple’s chip biz in 2014

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has long been rumored to become an alternative supplier for Apple-designed processors powering iOS devices. However, yield issues and manufacturing difficulties with the foundry's 20-nanometer process pushed back those plans.

Meanwhile, Samsung continues to make the Ax-series of processors for the latest iPhone and iPad. Per chatter from Asian supply chain, TSMC is working hard to ramp up 20-nanometer production “ahead of schedule”, apparently in a bid to win over Apple’s chip business from Samsung by 2014...