We’d published an article about the types of chips that are used in an iPhone. The post spoke of two manufacturers — the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung.
Until now, Apple has been using chips from both these providers. However, that’s is going to change soon.
According to a news outlet from South Korea, TSMC has struck a deal with Apple to be their sole provider of processor chips.
The report says that TSMC won the contract owing to their superior 10-nanometer manufacturing technology. It allows them to make the chips smaller than Samsung.
The size difference had always existed, and Samsung’s chips were always on the larger side. However, the difference was so marginal that it had hardly mattered.
Now, with the upcoming iPhone 7 touted to be slimmer and faster, Apple really has to account for each micrometer. Hence, the change in services was necessary.
TSMC is expected to go all out for production sometime in June. If we’re to follow the nomenclature, the chip will likely be called “A 10“, and is expected to be shipped with the iPhone 7 due in September. Therefore, the June manufacturing date makes sense.
Some reports are also suggesting that Apple is dumping Samsung owing to the controversy the latter’s chip created last year. However, like we explained earlier, it seems more to be a business necessity than a personal vendetta.
