A10 chip

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on A10 chip:

iPad vs. iPad Pro: Which is right for you?

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2018 iPad and Apple Pencil
Is the new iPad right for you?
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple’s most affordable iPad is now even greater. With a faster A10 processor and support for Apple Pencil, it’s closer to the iPad Pro than it’s ever been. And yet, it’s less than half the price — and even more affordable if you’re a student.

So, what’s the difference between them? Is the iPad Pro still worth the extra cash?

Choosing between the two doesn’t have to be difficult. Our helpful comparison will help you decide which iPad is right for you.

iPhone SE 2 will have one massive change from its predecessor

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iPhone SE Plus concept
It's like if the iPhone SE and the iPhone X had a baby.
Photo: Curved

Apple’s cheapest iPhone is about to steal some major design cues from the pricey iPhone X.

The successor to the iPhone SE could arrive later this year. And according to a new rumor, design changes could include a glass back that adds one of the iPhone X’s most underrated features.

iMac Pro packs new T2 chip for extra security

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iMac Pro
The internals are insane.
Photo: Apple

The iMac Pro is the most secure Apple desktop ever built, and it’s got a special chip to prove it.

Early review units are starting to trickle out to tech experts and according to iOS and Mac developer Cabel Sasser, the iMac Pro packs a new T2 chip that is basically like a secure enclave for the iMac.

iPhone X will pack A11 chip with six cores

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TSMC A11 chip
A 'leaked' image of Apple's alleged A11 chip.
Photo: Slashleaks

The iPhone X will officially be the most powerful iOS device Apple’s ever made, based on information from the leaked iOS 11 GM.

Apple’s new A11 chip will pack six cores for unprecedented processing power in an iPhone. And with all the new augmented reality and 3D scanning features its set to receive, it’s gonna need all the power it can get.

iPhone chipmaker will decide on U.S. plant in 2018

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TSMC and Apple: productive partnership
TSMC is one of Apple's biggest partners.
Photo: Apple/TSMC

Apple’s favorite chipmaker in Asia may be ready to move to the United States next year.

TSMC — the world’s largest contract chipmaker, and sole supplier of the A10 Fusion processor that powers the iPhone 7 — says it is weighing the benefits of setting up shop in the U.S. under President Donald Trump.

Apple poaches top talent from iPhone 7 GPU chipmaker

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A10 processor
Custom graphics chips could be Apple's next big move.
Photo: Apple

Apple is siphoning talent from one of its key partners, Imagination Technologies, which makes the graphics chip for the iPhone 7.

The British chipmaker was rumored to be in acquisition talks with Apple earlier this year. Apple told the press it wasn’t interested in buying Imagination Technologies, but based on a slew of recent hires, the iPhone-maker does want its employees.

Soaring iPhone 7 demand helps Apple supplier set new profit record

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A10 processor
Building Apple's A10 chip turns out to be good business.
Photo: Apple

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) reportedly had to fight to secure the A10 chip orders for the iPhone 7, but whatever it had to do to get there has clearly paid off!

That’s based on the company’s new 2016 revenue forecast, which has just been ramped up based on new profit and sales records being reached in the year’s third quarter — largely thanks to the success of Apple’s next-gen iPhone.

Bill Maher explains why you don’t need to buy iPhone 7

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Do you really need to buy the iPhone 7?
Do you really need to buy the iPhone 7?
Photo: HBO/Real Time with Bill Maher.

HBO talk show host Bill Maher railed on Apple for not thinking different with the iPhone 7 on his latest show. He suggested that if Apple really wanted to do some thing truly innovative, it should try not releasing a new iPhone ever year.

The comedian’s hilarious segment took aim at everyone from the shareholder that demand greatness every quarter, to the early adopters enabling the monster.

Watch Bill go in on Apple:

Apple chipmaker will spend $2.2 billion to gain edge over rivals

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Apple chips are getting EMI shielding.
TSMC may have won the A10 battle, but it also wants to win the war.
Photo: Apple

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) may have reportedly scored Apple’s A-series orders for the next-gen iPhone 7, but with plenty of rivals on its tail it’s not shying away from putting in the work (and, more importantly, the cash) to ensure it stays Apple’s chipmaker of note.

According to TSMC’s co-CEO Mark Liu, this means spending a massive, record-setting $2.2 billion on R&D this year; a significantly higher figure than the $1.067 it spend researching new processes last year.

Apple’s top chipmaker will double production ahead of iPhone 7

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chips
TSMC is looking likely to be Apple's sole A10 manufacturer.
Photo: Apple

There’s a lot of talk about slowing iPhone sales, but you wouldn’t get that impression from the manufacturer set to build Apple’s A10 chips for the upcoming iPhone 7.

According to a new report, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is doubling its monthly output capacity from 40,000 12-inch wafers in February to a whopping 80,000 in March.

Earthquake damage hits Apple’s A-series chipmaker

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Chips
Bad news for TSMC.
Photo: Fabrizio Sciami/Flickr CC

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) might be on course to take over 100 percent of Apple’s A10 chip orders, but that’s not to say that it’s entirely without problems right now.

According to a new report, a recent earthquake which hit one of TSMC’s factories in southern Taiwan caused more damage than initially thought: with resulting wafer shipments for the first quarter of 2016 likely to fall as a result.

Apple may give Samsung the boot for iPhone 7 chip orders

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apple-vs-samsung
Samsung may be passed over for iPhone 7 chip orders.
Photo: Cult of Mac

After the “chipgate” event of the iPhone 6s — in which Samsung-manufactured A9 processors were rumored to perform worse than those built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) — a new report suggests that Apple may give its South Korean frenemy the boot, and award 100 percent of its iPhone 7 A10 chip orders to TSMC.

Apple is aiming for 6 cores in A10 processor

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If you think the A9 processor is fast, wait 'til you see the A10.
If you think the A9 processor is fast, wait 'til you see the A10.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 6s is the fastest smartphone on the planet, but according to a new rumor, Apple is planning to make a huge leap with its A10 processor in the iPhone 7 that will turn the device into an unbelievable speed machine.

It seems a bit early to start talking about the iPhone 7’s processor when the 6s hasn’t even gone on sale yet, however, the Apple rumor mill has spit out a rumor claiming Apple’s A10 processor will boast 6 cores.

TSMC may have already nailed down Apple’s A10 chip orders

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chips
Round one. Fight.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The iPhone 6s isn’t even out yet, but already reports are claiming that Apple has awarded its A10 processor orders for the next eagerly-anticipated iPhone upgrade, the iPhone 7.

The winning company if you believe said rumors? None other than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company — the manufacturer said to be making half of Apple’s A9 chips for the iPhone 6s.

Do we believe it? Count me in the “skeptical” pile.

Ex-Apple Exec says Macs could run on ARM processors by 2016

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macbookairarm

Over the years, I’ve seen rumor after rumor that Apple would eventually abandon Intel chips in favor of ARM chips. And time after time, I’ve refuted those arguments, saying that a Mac running ARM processors is not likely to happen anytime soon.

But maybe I’m wrong. Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassée — himself a longtime skeptic of Apple’s transition to ARM chips for its desktop and laptop computers — says he’s recently been convinced, and even believes that Apple could release ARM-based Macs as soon as 2016.