Apple Planning to Make A6 Processor at TSMC

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Apple changing fabs?

Despite being tangled in a rather tense legal battle right now, Apple and Samsung are still partners in the chip manufacturing business. Apple orders a huge amount of A4 and A5 chips for iPhone, iPod and iPad products, and Samsung builds them.

It may seen rather odd that Samsung is lending a hand to Apple, a big competitor in the personal device space, but the South Korean company is still pocketing some money regardless whether a customer buys an iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The word in the industry right now is that Apple is seeking another manufacturing partner for the next-generation ARM chip that's believed to be called the A6. Reuters reports that Taiwan's massive TSMC, which has likely made at least one of the chips inside your gaming desktop, is currently in trial production of the A6 for Apple.

If the yields come back to Apple's satisfaction, then Samsung may no longer be privy to Apple's CPU. Of course, analysts predict that Samsung will do everything in its power to extend its contract with Apple – perhaps by entering into a bidding war against TSMC.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
38 Comments Comment from the forums
  • eddieroolz
    Well that's to be expected. It seems like Apple is intent on further suing Samsung, so to be relying on Samsung only would spell disaster for them if Samsung ever decides to halt shipment.
    Reply
  • henydiah
    TSCM seems to be new hope after the issue, and Samsung certainly will not stay silent lho
    Reply
  • I wonder how Apple coming into the picture will change TSMC. Will they get better ... or worse?
    Reply
  • spentshells
    Samsung will do anything in their power ? like sueing them ?
    Reply
  • wintermint
    spentshellsSamsung will do anything in their power ? like sueing them ?
    Only Apple been trying to sue everybodys' asses off: HTC, Samsung, etc.
    Reply
  • stingstang
    ReggieRayToo bad we can have some chip plants in the US. Oh thats right, the leftists in the EPA would over regulate every detail of the plant (Fascism) and the politicians on the left (Democrats) would want to tax them to death. Then the blood sucking unions (more Democrats) would move in and suck it dry until it went bankrupt.Never mind, your better off overseas.No one's ever going to argue with you that shipping business overseas won't be cheaper. Don't have to start generalizing political parties and accuse them of ruining our economy.
    Reply
  • BSMonitor
    No one's ever going to argue with you that shipping business overseas won't be cheaper. Don't have to start generalizing political parties and accuse them of ruining our economy.

    Right, no one needs to generalize about it, there are plenty of specific examples of how the political party wars have ruined our economy.
    Reply
  • ansemx324
    ReggieRay, you troller you. Lets see how fast people can make this whole article a political battle instead. Ready...go!
    Reply
  • papaswedine
    waka waka
    Reply
  • lamorpa
    BSMonitorRight, no one needs to generalize about it, there are plenty of specific examples of how the political party wars have ruined our economy.Yeah. We've got to stop people in power from appointing our senators and congresspeople. Oh, wait a minute, I think they are there by popular vote..
    Reply