Earlier this year Apple moved past Sony to become Samsung's biggest customer. However, the relationship status moved to "it's complicated" when Apple began a series of accusations and lawsuits against Samsung for allegedly copying the iPhone and iPad. Now it appears Apple has started seeing other people, and is actively sourcing a new manufacturer to produce the A6 processor beginning in 2012.
According to a report from Ars Technica, the courtship of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) began earlier this spring, and now their "plugged-in source" claims that the "chatter on the foundry grapevine about an impending Apple/TSMC deal is growing deafening." This supports a statement from Merrill Lynch in Taipei quoted on Friday in the Chinese-launguage Commercial Times that "TSMC stands a good chance of winning orders for Apple's A6 processors" in 2012. The paper also notes that Samsung will continue to manufacture the A5 processors for now.
According to the same Ars report, Apple is still flirting with Intel as a possible manufacturer for the A6. Either way, it it appears that Apple will be going to the prom in 2012 with a new date.
brandonwalkermedia
June 27, 2011 at 2:51pm
hm funny how APple has released a STATEMENT saying they HAVE NO plans to move. can you please wright a report not based on a rumor. (8 out of the last 10 articles have been wrong (and thats giving you leeway if more 50% of things in your article are true, if i did not it would be wrong 10 out of 10)
DanielSw
June 27, 2011 at 2:10pm
If I were to sue one of my customers or if one of them sued me--for any reason--how could I expect to still work for them?
If two parties can't work out mutually agreeable terms for using each other's IPs way upstream of litigation procedures, then how can they remain viable business partners?
