• TSMC Begins Testing Apple’s A6 Processor with 28-nanometer Technology

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPad, iPhone, News, Samsung, Tech. No Responses

    Taiwan Economic News is reporting that local Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC), the world’s largest semiconductor foundry by market shares now, has started trial production of the A6 processor in cooperation with Apple Inc., with the production design to be taped out in the first quarter of next year and scheduled to be publicly unveiled in the second quarter at the earliest, according to industry sources.

    TSMC has applied its newest 28-nanometer process and 3D stacking technologies to produce the next-generation processor A6, which is based on the ARM architecture and will undergo TSMC’s cutting-edge silicon interposer and bump on trace (BOT) methodologies. Industry insiders said that the manufacturing will help to pump considerable momentum into TSMC’s business growth starting next year, though the company has yet to comment on the deal for the moment.

    We already reported that Apple and TSMC have begun testing in July, however, both reports suggest that the next iPad 3 could be the first to sport the new processor in 2012.

    Let us wait and see how this will affect Samsung as Apple keen to shift most of production away from the korean company as Samsung has emerged as Apple’s toughest competitor in the smartphone and tablet market.

  • Apple Begins Test Production Of A6 Processor with TSMC

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPad, iPhone, Mobile, News, Rants & Raves, Rumors, Samsung, Tech. 1 Response

    Citing a source with knowledge of the matter, Apple and Taiwan-based TSMC have begun manufacturing test of Apple’s next-generation A6 processor. The fact that Apple is working with TSMC on this may serve as a sign that Apple is shifting from its traditional chip supplier, Samsung Electronics.

    Currently, Samsung is the sole supplier of the A5 chips used in the iPad 2, but Apple has hinted it is keen to diversify away from the Korean company. The two are battling a legal dispute over patents, and Samsung has also emerged as Apple’s toughest competitor in the smartphone and tablet market.

    It’s currently not finalized that TSMC will produce the new chip for Apple. but the test run is said to be authorized. It’s also expected that Samsung will lower prices and fight to retain Apple’s business in manufacturing the A6.

    “It has to redesign the chipset, which Samsung has been deeply involved from the beginning and has some intellectual property. Apple could try various suppliers but they (Samsung and Apple) need each other and the relationship will continue.”

    The A5 chip is designed by the California company and analysts say it is based on British chip designer ARM Holdings technology. Details of Apple’s technology are hard to come by though given its obsession with secrecy.

    The A6 will likely debut next year as part of 3rd generation iPad, as the current trend is for Apple to place new technology in the iPad first, then shrink and optimize it later for use in the iPhone.

    The A6 will reportedly use a new 28-nanometer process, making it smaller and more power efficient, and could be powerful enough to use inside future Macs, such as future models of the MacBook Air which is a strong possibility.

  • Apple May Partner with TSMC ditching Samsung For A5 Production

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Gadgets, iPad, iPhone, News, Rumors, Tech. No Responses

    Apple has allegedly inked a deal with chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to produce the A5 chip for the iPad 2, a move that is seen as a potential loss for Samsung.

    Apple is rumored to have entered a foundry agreement with TSMC to build the A5 processor, according to EETimes. In addition to powering the new iPad 2 set for release on Friday, Apple’s custom dual-core A5 processor is also expected to power the anticipated iPhone 5, expected to debut this summer.

    Apple is expected to spend $7.8 billion on components from Samsung alone in 2011, for parts including liquid crystal displays, processors and NAND flash memory chips in mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad. The deal would make Apple the largest customer of Samsung.

    The EETimes report said Apple is making the switch for three reasons, one of them being the fact that Samsung competes with both the iPhone and the iPad with its own devices.

    Apple, according to the source, will use TSMC for three reasons: 1. Samsung competes with the iPhone and iPad; 2. TSMC has the highest yielding 40-nm process in the foundry world; and 3. TSMC has the most 40-nm capacity.