Analyst: TSMC to be Apple’s sole 20nm quad-core processor supplier

“Citigroup Global Markets Inc. estimated Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to be the only supplier of 20nm process to Apple quad-core processors over the next one to two years, citing the company’s unmatched technological advance on 20nm process and Apple’s decision to adopt 20nm quad-core processors in its new products,” Ken Liu reports for CENS.

“Volume production is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2013, raising the possibility that TSMC will hike capital expenditure to US$11-12 billion in 2013 and 2014,” Liu reports. “Hsu estimated Apple to design quad-core processors into iPad, iTV and even Macbook. iPhones will be still powered by duo-core processors to highlight its low power consumption merit.”

Liu reports, “He pointed out that Apple began developing quad-core processors in 2010, when it acquired fabless chip company Intrincity. Until the acquisition, Intrincity had announced multi-core processors.”

Read more in the full article here.

[Attribution: MacRumors. Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]

Related articles:
Apple plots course to dump slavish copier Samsung from supply chain; looks to TSMC to stamp out processors – October 4, 2012
Apple, Qualcomm spurned in bids for exclusive TSMC chips – August 29, 2012
TSMC lands contract to produce Apple’s next-gen ‘A6′ and ‘A7′ processors, say sources – September 16, 2011

8 Comments

  1. Oh dear that’s a shame 🙂

    Another of Samsun’s rivals are becoming very much stronger because Apple are switching production to them which would otherwise have gone to Samsung.

    Not only have Samsung lost business, their rivals are becoming more competitive and better able to attract business from other companies too.

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