TSMC may assume full control of 'A10' chip manufacturing for Apple's 'iPhone 7'

TSMC logoProduction of A9 chips is currently skewed 60 to 70 percent toward Samsung, and 30 to 40 percent toward TSMC, HSBC analysts Steven Pelayo and Lionel Lin said in a note to investors on Wednesday, a copy of which was provided to AppleInsider. Apple's A8 chips from 2014 were produced largely by TSMC, with Samsung — formerly the only A-series chipmaker — taking a backseat.

Apple is rumored to be TSMC's first customer to use its integrated fan-out (InFO) packaging in mass production. The technology allows chips to be stacked on top of each other and mounted directly to a circuit board, instead of onto a substrate first, reducing both the thickness and the weight of devices.

The InFO deal could add over $300 million to TSMC's 2016 sales, reaching $1 billion in 2017, the analysts predicted. It's estimated that the company could pull in between $2.2 billion and $2.5 billion in revenue from "A10" production.

TSMC is in fact forecast to make over $4.6 billion in total from Apple orders next year, up from roughly $3.7 billion in 2015.

A recent teardown of the A9X processor found in the iPad Pro suggested that TSMC may be the sole manufacturer for the 12.9-inch tablet's desktop-class chip.

Various reports have hinted at TSMC becoming the exclusive manufacturer of a so-called "A10." While that could create supply bottlenecks if TSMC runs into problems, there might also be technical advantages, and in recent years Apple has preferred to distance itself from Samsung, the world's leading smartphone maker and its main competition.

Despite complaints about battery life and/or the difficulty of gripping current models, Apple is expected to make next year's iPhones even thinner, between 6.0 and 6.5 millimeters thick, putting them in line with the iPod touch and iPad Air 2. In fact, it's even been rumored that Apple might ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack and ask people to use Bluetooth or Lightning accessories instead.

Source: AppleInsider

Tags: Apple, CPUs, TSMC

Comments
Add comment

Your name:
Sign in with:
or
Your comment:


Enter code:

E-mail (not required)
E-mail will not be disclosed to the third party


Last news

 
Galaxy Note10 really is built around a 6.7-inch display
 
You may still be able to download your content
 
Facebook, Messenger and Instagram are all going away
 
Minimize apps to a floating, always-on-top bubble
 
Japan Display has been providing LCDs for the iPhone XR, the only LCD model in Apple’s 2018 line-up
 
The 2001 operating system has reached its lowest share level
 
The entire TSMC 5nm design infrastructure is available now from TSMC
 
The smartphone uses a Snapdragon 660 processor running Android 9 Pie
The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Review
The evolution of the successful smartphone, now with a waterproof body and USB Type-C
February 7, 2017 / 2
Samsung Galaxy TabPro S - a tablet with the Windows-keyboard
The first Windows-tablet with the 12-inch display Super AMOLED
June 7, 2016 /
Keyboards for iOS
Ten iOS keyboards review
July 18, 2015 /
Samsung E1200 Mobile Phone Review
A cheap phone with a good screen
March 8, 2015 / 4
Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card review
Good sound for those who are not satisfied with the onboard solution
September 25, 2014 / 2
Samsung Galaxy Gear: Smartwatch at High Price
The first smartwatch from Samsung - almost a smartphone with a small body
December 19, 2013 /
 
 

News Archive

 
 
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
232425262728 




Poll

Do you use microSD card with your phone?
or leave your own version in comments (16)