Taiwanese semiconductor foundry TSMC is reportedly preparing to roll out its 7-nanometer process node as soon as 2018, with a jump to 5 nanometers currently penciled in for 2020.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest chip fab and a manufacturer of Apple's A9 chips used in iPhone 6s models, has posted earnings that beat analysts estimates for the quarter and established the company's highest annual earnings in 29 years.
While a cadre of Apple watchers have predicted doom for the iPhone maker this year, Samsung has actually warned that it faces stronger than predicted competition this year and that it expects 2016 to be a particularly difficult business environment. That's due in large part to fierce competition and reduced business from its number one competitor and supplier: Apple.
Taiwan-based Apple supplier TSMC on Monday announced plans to launch a $3 billion chip production factory in Nanjing, China, forgoing the help of any local corporate partners.
With next year's anticipated "A10" processor expected to power the next-generation iPhone, TSMC will likely gain complete control of Apple's processor manufacturing orders, according to a new report.
New battery test results, published on Monday, appear to support Apple's claim of little difference in the longevity of an iPhone 6s with a Samsung-made A9 chip versus one manufactured by TSMC.
This week saw Apple honor Steve Jobs on the fourth anniversary of his death, and simultaneously make a series of small-scale product announcements, while putting out fires related to iPhone battery life and iOS security.
Trying to quell rumors, Apple on Thursday issued a statement claiming there is little difference in the battery life of iPhones using A9 chips made by TSMC versus those made by Samsung.
Apple's next-generation mobile processor may be called the A10 and leap ahead to a six-core architecture, according to a rumor from Chinese microblogging site Weibo.
Taiwan's TSMC is set to become the exclusive manufacturer of an Apple "A10" processor for next-generation iPhones, cutting Samsung out of the loop, according to a new rumor.
An engineer who left chipmaker TSMC for a new job at rival Samsung's foundry division illegally passed trade secrets to the South Korean firm, Taiwan's Supreme Court said in a Wednesday ruling.
Apple is asking Samsung and TSMC to accept price cuts on orders of A9 chips for its new iPhones, but TSMC's inclination to decline could result in the supplier having to scale back production capacity, a new rumor claimed on Tuesday.
Apple is reportedly working on one or more spiritual successors to the iPhone 5c that will use 14- to 16-nanometer FinFET chips manufactured by suppliers TSMC and Samsung.
The race to make smaller and more efficient mobile processors continues, with iPhone chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. revealing it remains on track to mass produce its first 10-nanometer FinFET processors by early 2017 — a timeframe that would put it ahead of rival Intel.
Apple chipmaking partner Taiwan Manufacturing Semiconductor Co. is reportedly gearing up to test production of 10-nanometer size processors beginning in June, according to a new rumor.
Facing poor yield rates from chipmaker GlobalFoundries, Apple has apparently made an eleventh-hour call as it solidifies its supply chain for the next-generation iPhone, opting to award nearly a third of "A9" chip orders to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Samsung has won a huge percentage of orders for the production of Apple's next-generation "A9" system-on-a-chip, variations of which are expected to power this year's iOS device lineup, according to a new report.
The iPhone's strong holiday sales helped two of Apple's biggest supply chain partners — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Hon Hai Precision Industry — post record monthly revenues in December, according to the companies' regulatory filings with the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
The outlook remains murky for Apple's anticipated "A9" processor, expected to arrive in its 2015 iPhone, with a pair of new reports disagreeing on whether Samsung or TSMC will build the bulk of next-generation chips.
After Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reportedly built the majority of A8 chips for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple is said to have begun turning back to Samsung for its next-generation "A9" processor, which is expected to power the company's 2015 iPhone lineup.
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AppleInsider Staff
Daniel Eran Dilger
Roger Fingas
Sam Oliver
Neil Hughes
Katie Marsal
