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Samsung Manufacturing Issues Reportedly Overblown, May Split A8 Production with TSMC

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Samsung may play a larger role in the production of Apple's next generation A8 processor than previously rumored, claims ZDNet Korea (via GforGames). According to the report, the Korean company has already signed a contract to produce the A8 processor at its Austin, Texas plant and is in the final stages of testing before mass production begins.

tsmc_samsung_logo-800x278.jpg
This latest information from an anonymous Samsung official contradicts an earlier report that said Samsung was struggling with poor yields of the A8 processor and could not meet Apple's demands. As a result, the bulk of A8 chip production was said to be shifting to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). These "manufacturing issues" were "exaggerated claims" says the Samsung source, stating that the company is ready to start mass production of the A8 in Q2 2014.

While Samsung and TSMC may be splitting A8 production however, the latter already appears to have a lead on the Korean manufacturer. A recent report from Taiwan's Commercial Times claims TSMC has started production of the next generation chip.

Samsung has been the exclusive manufacturer of Apple's A-series chips, but Apple has been looking to depend less on its rival by shifting some of its orders to TSMC. Apple reportedly struck a deal with TSMC in 2013 to start A-series chip production early in 2014.


Article Link: Samsung Manufacturing Issues Reportedly Overblown, May Split A8 Production with TSMC
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/10/samsung-tsmc-a8/
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Freida

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Oct 22, 2010
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It seems that these days all the rumors we get are contradicting each other :)
 
DipDog3

DipDog3

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2002
1,191
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Freida said:
It seems that these days all the rumors we get are contradicting each other :)
Click to expand...

Also known as, just making stuff up.
Obviously none of these so called reporters have any idea what is going on.
 
T

triton100

macrumors 6502a
Dec 15, 2010
778
1,303
The moon
Phew that was lucky, Samsung would've been toast if they were truly sidelined by their unwitting mentor. Who would they copy [cough], I mean draw inspiration from if they had been?

It's a full time job copying the competition and rerouting your R & D budget into marketing, to ram your products down consumers throats. Genius business tactic - cheaper to copy and pay for patent infringement in court than to spend on original R & D.

Samsung are the equivalent of those dodgy market places in south east asia where you can buy cheap knock offs of anything from Armani suits to televisions. When are the courts going to stop this? I guess there is a political and economic motivation behind allowing Samsung to get away with this consistently - other than last year's victory.
 
tigertazz

tigertazz

macrumors 6502
May 4, 2009
297
356
Mattsasa said:
Regardless of who is producing it, the A8 chip is going to be incredibly [edit] magical!!
Click to expand...

I have edited the post for you. LOL

In all seriousness though I am salivating at the thought of the new iphone if the rumours prove true!
 
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Freida

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Oct 22, 2010
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Mattsasa said:
Regardless of who is producing it, the A8 chip is going to be incredibly powerful!!
Click to expand...
What is the general belief of expectations? Are there any specifics one could possible expect except from faster chip? :D
 
2

2457282

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From all the lawsuits between Samsung and Apple, it is clear that it has all been about the OS and Software related patents. I have yet to see any issues or concerns with Samsung stealing hardware designs (other than the exterior/visible aspects). So, I doubt that Samsung making chips is as big a concern for Apple. Where I am going is that I am sure that on principle, if nothing else, Apple wants to get rid of Samsung, but there is no major urgency and I think Apple will do it as other plants come up to speed and can handle the volume and quality requirements. In the meantime, Apple will continue the relationship to use Samsung for chips.
 
typeadam

typeadam

macrumors regular
May 16, 2010
249
10
10016
triton100 said:
Phew that was lucky, Samsung would've been toast if they were truly sidelined by their unwitting mentor. Who would they copy [cough], I mean draw inspiration from if they had been?

It's a full time job copying the competition and rerouting your R & D budget into marketing, to ram your products down consumers throats. Genius business tactic - cheaper to copy and pay for patent infringement in court than to spend on original R & D.

Samsung are the equivalent of those dodgy market places in south east asia where you can buy cheap knock offs of anything from Armani suits to televisions. When are the courts going to stop this? I guess there is a political and economic motivation behind allowing Samsung to get away with this consistently - other than last year's victory.
Click to expand...

You realize that Samsung doesn't only make phones, right? And that their phones are only a percentage of their business. Furthermore, Samsung has been accused of copying the software/UX/OS, not the hardware, AFAIK.
So I seriously doubt they would've been "toast."
 
notjustjay

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
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Canada, eh?
Freida said:
It seems that these days all the rumors we get are contradicting each other :)
Click to expand...

DipDog3 said:
Also known as, just making stuff up.
Obviously none of these so called reporters have any idea what is going on.
Click to expand...

How to be an analyst:

1. Post a rumor.
2. Wait for hits. If it sounds reasonable, discussion will be positive. If not, discussion will be angry.
3. Wait a week.
4. Post an "update" saying your sources now confirm that the previous rumor was false.
5. Wait for hits and discussion.
6. Profit!
 
Nevaborn

Nevaborn

macrumors 65816
Aug 30, 2013
1,086
327
I think looking at the evidence the truth is clear to see. Samsung have had issues and are scrambling to refute them and increase their production rates. Hence the reason TSMC are already producing the chips. This yield issue is most likely due to higher priority being given to Samsung's increasing hardware requirements.

Yes Apple is an important customer who they earn money off but it is also the competition and if they are having to decide who takes priority then it is in their interest they choose themselves. Though if this strain is to do with the Gear they would be better off dropping it as the profit of that has to be tiny when compared to being a massive manufacturer for other companies key components.

All the surplus Apple has its insane to think they aren't producing their own chips by now.
 
S

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
triton100 said:
Phew that was lucky, Samsung would've been toast if they were truly sidelined by their unwitting mentor. Who would they copy [cough], I mean draw inspiration from if they had been?

It's a full time job copying the competition and rerouting your R & D budget into marketing, to ram your products down consumers throats. Genius business tactic - cheaper to copy and pay for patent infringement in court than to spend on original R & D.

Samsung are the equivalent of those dodgy market places in south east asia where you can buy cheap knock offs of anything from Armani suits to televisions. When are the courts going to stop this? I guess there is a political and economic motivation behind allowing Samsung to get away with this consistently - other than last year's victory.
Click to expand...


Please enlighten me how you can tell what a device is going to look like and how the OS will operate from just knowing or producing a chip that goes inside it.
 
uknowimright

uknowimright

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2011
812
416
hey I know those Lil Debbie brownies are made with flour, I'm totally going to be able to reproduce them now
 
FirstNTenderbit

FirstNTenderbit

macrumors 6502
Jan 15, 2013
355
0
Atlanta
triton100 said:
Phew that was lucky, Samsung would've been toast if they were truly sidelined by their unwitting mentor. Who would they copy [cough], I mean draw inspiration from if they had been?

It's a full time job copying the competition and rerouting your R & D budget into marketing, to ram your products down consumers throats. Genius business tactic - cheaper to copy and pay for patent infringement in court than to spend on original R & D.

Samsung are the equivalent of those dodgy market places in south east asia where you can buy cheap knock offs of anything from Armani suits to televisions. When are the courts going to stop this? I guess there is a political and economic motivation behind allowing Samsung to get away with this consistently - other than last year's victory.
Click to expand...

Congrats! This is an excellent example of spontaneously combustible material. Flame on.:eek:
 
F

Freida

Suspended
Oct 22, 2010
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so, if the rumours about A8 production starting soon are true, do you think that it is actually possible that iPhone will get launched sooner than september? You know, getting back to the original june/july schedule?
 
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