Samsung to Assist with Production of Apple's Next-Generation A8 ChipBack in June, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) struck a three-year deal with Apple to produce A-series chips for iOS devices beginning in 2014. The move was seen as part of Apple's strategy of moving away from rival Samsung for component supplies, although Samsung was soon after reported to have landed its own deal to once again produce chips beginning with the A9 in 2015. According to Korean news outlet Hankyung [Google Translate] (via The Verge), Samsung will also remain involved in next year's A8 chip family, with TSMC handling 60 to 70 percent of the manufacturing load and Samsung picking up the remainder. Today's rumor about the A8 chip still makes it unclear as to whether TSMC and Samsung will both produce A9 chips for Apple in 2015, but it seems that Apple is working hard to diversify its supplier relationships and will be drawing on both TSMC and Samsung for the foreseeable future as the two companies compete to push their technology forward. A look into the A7 processor last week revealed that Samsung was indeed the manufacturer for the chip, with the chip produced at a smaller 28-nm node compared to the 32-nm A6. Currently, the A7 chip is used in the iPhone 5s, and an updated "A7X" version of the chip is almost certainly set to arrive in Apple’s next-generation iPad and perhaps an upcoming iPad mini with Retina display. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Steve Wozniak and Atari Founder Nolan Bushnell Recall Steve Jobs and Early Apple Memories Together • Apple to Pay $40 to U.S. iPad 3G Purchasers in Unlimited Data Lawsuit • Apple to Resume In-Store Pickup Orders for iPhone 5s Next Week • 'Skitch' Goes iOS 7-Only, Adds AirDrop Support and New Gestures • Uncertainty Remains Over Whether Retina iPad Mini Will Ship Alongside iPad 5 in 2013 • iOS 6 Users Expressing Discontent Over Automatic iOS 7 Over-the-Air Downloads • Apple and MLB Collaborating on iBeacon-Infused App for Customized Stadium Experiences • Netflix Adds 'Super HD' Option for All Users and Additional Devices, Including 3rd Generation Apple TV
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/09/30/samsung-to-assist-with-production-of-apples-next-generation-a8-chip/
