The first Apple devices to boast A9 chips aren’t even out yet, and already manufacturers are fighting it out to get a piece of the next-next-gen A10 order action — which are likely to make their debut with the iPhone 7 in 2016.
Having come dangerously close to losing out on A9 orders entirely, TSMC is reportedly wasting no time in investing in the right equipment to wow Apple into handing over its order book for the A10 chips.
To do this it will establish a new 10nm pilot line in 12 different factories located in Hsinchu, which will be completed by the end of June. The company has also started a semiconductor intellectual property program and is advertizing its services to potential clients by the end of the year.
There’s every reason why TSMC would pull out all the stops to impress Apple. Although it won orders against rival chip manufacturer Samsung at the height of Apple and Samsung’s animosity, now that this has cooled again Samsung appears to be hoovering up more of Apple’s chip orders.
This year Samsung was reported to have gotten 100 percent of Apple’s A9 orders until Foxconn CEO Terry Gou supposedly used his influence to get TSMC a piece of the pie — feeling that Taiwanese manufacturers need to work together to overcome the growing threat of Samsung, which has the potential to swallow all their jobs.
Given the battling to secure A9 orders, however, I highly doubt Samsung will go down without a fight when it comes to the all-important iPhone 7 chips.
Via: GforGames
