“According to a report from South Korean news outlet The Electronic Times, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, better known as TSMC, has reached a deal with Apple to be the sole provider of the processor used in the next-generation iPhone,” Chance Miller reports for 9to5Mac. “TSMC and Samsung shared the task of building the processors for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.”
“The report claims that TSMC edged out Samsung to win the job thanks to its 10-nanometer manufacturing technology,” Miller reports.
“TSMC is expected to go into full production of the next-generation chip, likely called the A10, sometime in June,” Miller reports. “The iPhone 7 is expected to be announced sometime in September.”
Shackled to Android, Samsung has no point of differentiation. Apple will continue to take unit and the rest of the profit share from Samsung in the market segment in which they compete, and the bottom feeders will continue to take unit share as well. Tizen was Samsung’s only real hope, but they couldn’t manage to pull off such a large undertaking or, really, much of anything beyond mass producing inferior iPhone knockoffs. The world now sees: iPhone is the dream. If they have to settle for an Android phone until they can achieve iPhone, they can get the same thing Samsung offers at much lower prices from myriad Chinese Android handset assemblers (who are also knocking off Apple iPhones’ trade dress left and right).
Sooner or later, even Samsung will figure out there’s no profit to be had in Android handsets.
“Karma” is perfectly good biz jargon for “unethical behaviour will negatively influence fuure relationships.” It’s a philosophical principle cited by Steve Jobs himself, and is laid out naked in John Lennon’s song “Instant Karma”
Okay, I am stretching it here…
A10 (the plane): The perfect, optimally designed, battle tested and proven airframe for close-in combat. It will take out the enemy.
A10 (the processor) The perfect, optimally designed processor to take market share and profit from the rest of the smartphone industry.
Negotiating tactic. We hear this with every new generation of A-series processor. The reality is that TSMC alone isn’t going to be able to provide the volume Apple needs, and historically the TSMC-produced A-series processors have been inferior in quality to the Samsung-produced equivalents.
Jooop, the difference between the A9 processors from Samsung and TSMC are extremely minor (16nm vs 14nm process) and the battery life controversy was wildly overblown by the media. Apple stated the difference as a couple of percent. So your assertion of “inferior quality” is a load of BS.
As far as TMSC being the sole supplier, I have mixed feelings. I would be delighted to cut Samsung out of a lucrative A10 processor contract and leave the company struggling to find a customer to utilize its fabrication capacity. However, I prefer for Apple to have at least two suppliers for critical components like the main processor. If TSMC runs into difficulties, it will be difficult to bring another fabrication company online quickly enough to maintain the necessary volume for the iPhone 7 series.
I don’t, breeze, as you knew very well before posting. Nor did I state that was the case – I merely expressed concern over the possibility.
To the best of my knowledge, Samsung and TSMC are the only suppliers for the A9, and the world is not chock full of fabs that can churn out ten or twenty million complex CPUs per month at a ~10nm process scale. Is there anyone other than Samsung, TSMC, and Intel that can do so at production volumes?
Therefore, if Apple truly cuts out Samsung out of the A10 processing, then I have some justification for concern. If Apple is maintaining Samsung as a contingency/backup, then to make that effective Apple will have to be prepared to ramp up production, which means that Samsung already has their hands on the A10 design and they are not truly “cut out.”
Based on historical Apple performance and Tim Cook’s proven supply chain chops, it should be obvious to you too, that my question was rhetorical, to offset your expressed second guessing doubts…
This can’t be right. TSMC themselves very recently said they expect their 10nm production to start slowly this year, with full production some time next year.
Glad to see Samsung getting hammered. I’d prefer the “thermonuclear war” be aimed at Google though, as Steve stated, not just their lackeys. It’s time for Apple to go after Google’s lifeblood, search.
While I applaud the move away from Samsung, I truly doubt the Apple A10 processor will be manufactured at the 10 nm node by anyone, let alone TSMC
The shift to 10 nm node will be very difficult. Neither of the two big CPU manufacturers are making that shift until 2017 or 2018. Intel has even issued statements saying they are going to stick with 14 nm for a third generation CPU chip — breaking its historical Tic-Tock pattern of coming up with a new process node every other CPU and every other year.
With TSMC being at 16 nm for their general market chips, the jump to 10 nm is even bigger than it is for Intel. (Intel’s been at 14 nm for a couple years and still won’t go to 10 nm until the second half of 2017 at the earliest.)
If TSMC claims they can do 10 nm A10 chips IN QUANTITY (think 700,000+ chips per day) Apple had better have very tight quality requirements, severe penalties for not meeting quality and quantity — AND a backup supplier (Intel?).
Oh… I am sooooooo sad. I’ve got a feeling of… oh what could it be? Oh yes! Schadenfreude – pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.
Karma, she is a nasty bitch!
Karma? Keep thinking ‘karma” has something to do with it if that makes you happy. It’s business and that’s all it is.
Steve was a great believer in Karma. Who are you to say otherwise?
No, it’s karma all right. Check how Samsung does business and then get back to us. 🙂
“Karma” is perfectly good biz jargon for “unethical behaviour will negatively influence fuure relationships.” It’s a philosophical principle cited by Steve Jobs himself, and is laid out naked in John Lennon’s song “Instant Karma”
Madame Karma gets around… She can fly in on a broomstick one day. Or turn up in a business suit the next…
There is always Karma in business. The two terms are totally compatible.
Ah, the A10 Warthog. Gonna do us some tank killing with one, kids!
Okay, I am stretching it here…
A10 (the plane): The perfect, optimally designed, battle tested and proven airframe for close-in combat. It will take out the enemy.
A10 (the processor) The perfect, optimally designed processor to take market share and profit from the rest of the smartphone industry.
Sounds good to me!
She aint purty, but boy! does she get the job done…. may she rest in peace.
Negotiating tactic. We hear this with every new generation of A-series processor. The reality is that TSMC alone isn’t going to be able to provide the volume Apple needs, and historically the TSMC-produced A-series processors have been inferior in quality to the Samsung-produced equivalents.
Come again?
http://www.macrumors.com/2015/10/07/tsmc-samsung-a9-battery-tests/
Jooop, the difference between the A9 processors from Samsung and TSMC are extremely minor (16nm vs 14nm process) and the battery life controversy was wildly overblown by the media. Apple stated the difference as a couple of percent. So your assertion of “inferior quality” is a load of BS.
As far as TMSC being the sole supplier, I have mixed feelings. I would be delighted to cut Samsung out of a lucrative A10 processor contract and leave the company struggling to find a customer to utilize its fabrication capacity. However, I prefer for Apple to have at least two suppliers for critical components like the main processor. If TSMC runs into difficulties, it will be difficult to bring another fabrication company online quickly enough to maintain the necessary volume for the iPhone 7 series.
And how do you know that Apple doesn’t have contingencies and backup plans?
I don’t, breeze, as you knew very well before posting. Nor did I state that was the case – I merely expressed concern over the possibility.
To the best of my knowledge, Samsung and TSMC are the only suppliers for the A9, and the world is not chock full of fabs that can churn out ten or twenty million complex CPUs per month at a ~10nm process scale. Is there anyone other than Samsung, TSMC, and Intel that can do so at production volumes?
Therefore, if Apple truly cuts out Samsung out of the A10 processing, then I have some justification for concern. If Apple is maintaining Samsung as a contingency/backup, then to make that effective Apple will have to be prepared to ramp up production, which means that Samsung already has their hands on the A10 design and they are not truly “cut out.”
Based on historical Apple performance and Tim Cook’s proven supply chain chops, it should be obvious to you too, that my question was rhetorical, to offset your expressed second guessing doubts…
Not true.
Yay!
However, the leaves the only supplier subject to natural disasters, such as earthquakes. Maybe Apple needs a backup supplier, just in case.
An A10X in the 2nd generation Apple iPad Pro, now that would be nice!!! 🙂
How sweet it is..!
Hurray for Samf*%@ed! Haha you deserve all the hurt and pain you bunch of thieving basterds! 🖕😛
This can’t be right. TSMC themselves very recently said they expect their 10nm production to start slowly this year, with full production some time next year.
MDN Take – “Hey Samsung, suck it”
My Take – “Hey TSMC, don’t blow it!”
The timing is nice. Kick Samsung while they’re down!!
we have all been waiting for this moment but it’s no over until they are truly on their knees with android!
Finally!
Glad to see Samsung getting hammered. I’d prefer the “thermonuclear war” be aimed at Google though, as Steve stated, not just their lackeys. It’s time for Apple to go after Google’s lifeblood, search.
Thank God!
Sent from Outlook Mobile. Devin Prater D.prater@me.com
[Not a good idea to leak your email address online. Spam spiders love it, sad to say.]
he is using outlook mobile, obviously does not know or care about security or privacy….
😉
Yes, Apple is being practical instead of vengeful.
But it is soooo good to see Samsung soooo screwed. 😀 💕💕💕
While I applaud the move away from Samsung, I truly doubt the Apple A10 processor will be manufactured at the 10 nm node by anyone, let alone TSMC
The shift to 10 nm node will be very difficult. Neither of the two big CPU manufacturers are making that shift until 2017 or 2018. Intel has even issued statements saying they are going to stick with 14 nm for a third generation CPU chip — breaking its historical Tic-Tock pattern of coming up with a new process node every other CPU and every other year.
With TSMC being at 16 nm for their general market chips, the jump to 10 nm is even bigger than it is for Intel. (Intel’s been at 14 nm for a couple years and still won’t go to 10 nm until the second half of 2017 at the earliest.)
If TSMC claims they can do 10 nm A10 chips IN QUANTITY (think 700,000+ chips per day) Apple had better have very tight quality requirements, severe penalties for not meeting quality and quantity — AND a backup supplier (Intel?).
Karma Corn is delicious. But it gets stuck in the teeth of an argument all to quickly these days.
I know what side my Buddha is buttered on though.
Oh… I am sooooooo sad. I’ve got a feeling of… oh what could it be? Oh yes! Schadenfreude – pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.