14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is currently busy bringing the iPhone 6 to market, but plans are already underway to start making the next generation of A-series processors for the coming year’s iPhone revision, according to sources in Taiwan.
Citing industry sources in Taiwan, DigiTimes claims that Samsung Electronics and Globalfoundries have again teamed up to aid Apple in its lucrative iDevice business by producing the much-needed applications processor for next-years series of iDevices.
If history is any indication, Apple will debut the iPhone 6S next year, leaving the iPhone 7 announcement for 2016. Strangely enough, the sources does not mention the A8X chip, which would be in line with previous developments (and chip designations), but the A9 chip, which would theoretically land in the iPhone 7 of 2016.
The team reportedly landed orders for a 14nm FinFET process, but Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is also said to “exert efforts to retain Apple's orders, including the A9 orders, by advancing into 16nm FinFET processes,” according to the same sources.
The industry people have reportedly added that “TSMC also plans to roll out a 16nm FinFET Turbo process tailored to Apple's requirements.”
Finally, Apple may or may not distribute A9 processor orders to related foundries as Intel is also aspiring at some orders from the Cupertino giant, the sources say.