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Samsung producing A6 chip for future Apple iOS devices
Samsung will be producing the A6 quad-core mobile chip for future Apple iOS devices. It was believed that Apple had signed a deal with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) last month to supply chips but that deal could be on the rocks now.
The Korean Times is now reporting that Apple and Samsung have maintained their buyer and supplier relationship and will do so going forward for the foreseeable future. Citing an executive from an Apple parts supplier in Korea, it seems that Apple has concluded that Samsung is a critical business partner and can't sever ties with them just yet.
Samsung is already producing the A6 processor for future iOS devices at a manufacturing plant that opened in 2007 in Austin, Texas. TSMC will still be manufacturing chips for Apple but the volume is expected to be very low. The reason for this is because TSMC hasn’t stabilized their manufacturing process and Apple isn’t willing to take the risk of switching suppliers under such circumstances.
The article points to an interview with Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung where he told reporters that Samsung is handling legal issues with Apple independently of their business relationship with the company. Additionally it was revealed that COO Lee Yae-yong was invited by Apple CEO Tim Cook to attend a private memorial service for Steve Jobs last Sunday. Yae-yong was said to remain at Apple, presumably through the early part of this week, to discuss pending business issues.
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User Comments (12)
Post a comment|
princeton
on October 17, 2011 4:08 PM |
When you're using cores that are mostly designed by Samsung(minus ARM obviously designing the base Cortex-A?) you don't have much of a choice. |
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Guest
on October 17, 2011 5:01 PM |
Hopefully this time samsung have the bull by the balls, or maybe they are to stupid to not crush apple´s plans |
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soliozuz
on October 17, 2011 5:27 PM |
I would laugh if these chips failed within a month as Samsung's way of getting back at them. |
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Guest
on October 17, 2011 5:43 PM |
I would laugh if these chips failed within a month as Samsung's way of getting back at them. That would has astronomical financial consequences for them... |
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gwailo247
on October 17, 2011 6:19 PM |
Guest said: I would laugh if these chips failed within a month as Samsung's way of getting back at them. That would has astronomical financial consequences for them... All depends on how the contract is written. A deal is only as good as the contract that accompanies it. As a savvy businessman once said: "Advantage Burns!" |
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Guest
on October 17, 2011 7:53 PM |
Inside iPhone 4S - A5 Application Processor: Samsung - IPS/Retina Display: LG - Dram/Sram Memory: Samsung - Battery: Samsung SDI - MLCC(Multi Layer Ceramcic Condenser): Samsung - Chip Varistor: Amotech (Korea) - FC(Flexible Circuitry): Interflex (Korea) Your move, Apple. |
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aj_the_kidd
on October 17, 2011 9:31 PM |
The old "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" |
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chaboi390
on October 18, 2011 12:58 AM |
aj_the_kidd said: the old "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" Couldn't put it better myself |
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Burty117
on October 18, 2011 2:35 AM |
So basically, the businesses are working together fine but the legal departments were bored so they thought "let's have a court battle across several countries and lets see who win" and samsungs legal team said "hell yeah!". While the directors of the companies are like "so this is why we have a legal team?!". |
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VitalyT
on October 18, 2011 3:34 AM |
Apple + Samsung = Keep your friends close, and your enemy closer |
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Guest
on October 18, 2011 5:12 AM |
Apple is the smallest player in town in mobile phones world and just want's to turn Samsung which is pretty much the biggest player into becoming his *****. So the little guy Apple want's to control the big guy Samusung and want's to transform it into it's SLAPPING ***** or CHIP COW that do only and whatever Apple wants. Samsung would be a fool if it let this happen and would have a serious attitude problem if it doesn't slap back Apple where it hurts it the most. |
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SammyJames
on October 18, 2011 10:42 AM |
This is weirder than Tandy building Atari 400 units back in the 1980s. Weirder by several powers of magnitude. |
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