Why not? It's a rumor site where we obsess over everythingPlenty of us were not eligible for 5s upgrades so let the iPhone 6 speculation begin
I didn't say it was a bad thing!
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Samsung to Assist with Production of Apple's Next-Generation A8 Chip
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I didn't say it was a bad thing!
I think Apple will always use Samsung. I think this whole grudge fight is only in the minds of fanboys. Apple is merely working on diversification instead of having all of the chips in the same basket.
Having a TSMC in the mix helps Apple with diversification, being overly dependent on one sole fab, and in having them compete on price and specs. Cutting them off completely would be foolish.
Having a TSMC in the mix helps Apple with diversification, being overly dependent on one sole fab, and in having them compete on price and specs. Cutting them off completely would be foolish.
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Why? Samsung makes the best mobile chips in the world. Its a good thing Apple knows what they are doing and not taking directions from Macrumors.
It's because Samsung's mobile chips aren't as good as Intel's or any other vendor.
Also, Apple needs their own fabs because they'll have better control over long-term planning + reduced costs when companies vertically integrate.
It's why they design their own ASiCs, instead of designs from Samsung. Pretty soon, Samsung won't even manufacture them.
Eventually Apple WILL build their own fabs, regardless of what anyone says, because of the reduced costs.
I agree. I think Apple could arrange for Intel mobile exclusivity. So many potential advantages of an Intel and Apple collaboration in mobile. Never underestimate Intel's capacity to overtake the ARM architecture. And at the very least they are the best fab in the world.
Now that the cat is already out of the bag, the 64bit SoC, I am inclined to think the A8XX or A9. Ariant will make it into a MBA. The differentiation will be quite small between ultra book and tablet, except in tablet the device will feature a massive battery.
Yep. That's what they're doing. Are you implying Samsung can come up with their own ideas? That would be a new.
Samsung's business model is to copy other companies ideas, because Samsung is bad at design and do not know how to innovate.
No need for Apple to give them any more intellectual property.
Diversity and capacity.
I think they will produce different models or even half-generations between Samsung and TSMC, this will give them more flexibility into the chips they need for all their different models and allow them to move their release schedules around. But as someone already pointed out, the big deal is high-volume defect-free chips from mature processes at Samsung versus new node high-defect low-to-medium production at TSMC which requires a lot of binning and culling. It certainly gives them choices.
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The A7 would be fine for the Mini. Or the A6X in a Mini Retina, maybe a refined stepping.
I think they will produce different models or even half-generations between Samsung and TSMC, this will give them more flexibility into the chips they need for all their different models and allow them to move their release schedules around. But as someone already pointed out, the big deal is high-volume defect-free chips from mature processes at Samsung versus new node high-defect low-to-medium production at TSMC which requires a lot of binning and culling. It certainly gives them choices.
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The A7 would be fine for the Mini. Or the A6X in a Mini Retina, maybe a refined stepping.
Clearly apple thinks that doing this will increase their profits. I'm not sure why you disagree.
Yes Samsung clearly copied other companies when making the Galaxy Note because everybody uses Wacomm on their smartphones. They also copied when introducing the first prototype for a flexible display. Oh and since everybody released a 6 inch phone, they had to release one too! I could go on...
It seems Samsung may have 20nm capacity sooner than expected possibly: http://www.androidbeat.com/2013/09/samsung-racing-start-making-20-nm-chips/
Well, sounds like Samsung Electronics was caught off guard wrt the A7, so maybe Samsung Semiconductor has built a pretty good firewall to the rest of the company.
Which is the way it should be.
As for using Samsung Semiconductor; if they can deliver what Apple wants, then that's all that matters, and its always good to have multiple sources.
hahahahaha!!! Welcome to the club, the most obvious complaint being $100 to go from 16Gigs to 32Gigs, and $200 to go from 16Gigs to 64Gigs when it costs Apple $19.
TSMC is an unknown quantity and I have no idea how their chips will perform whereas I know Samsungs work alright.
Not sure if Intel would be better or not, You would think so but they have their reasons for doing this one. Ill leave hardware suppliers to them. They will get what they deem best and any problems it will cost them.
Not sure if Intel would be better or not, You would think so but they have their reasons for doing this one. Ill leave hardware suppliers to them. They will get what they deem best and any problems it will cost them.
Yes Samsung clearly copied other companies when making the Galaxy Note because everybody uses Wacomm on their smartphones. They also copied when introducing the first prototype for a flexible display. Oh and since everybody released a 6 inch phone, they had to release one too! I could go on...
The Galaxy Note?
You mean the fake iPad.
oh nos!
you may not realize this, but youre a tech enthusiast. the vast majority of normal customers are not, and have no idea what an A7 or A6 is. "That's an Audi, right?"
...or how many samsung "haters" will demand to have a iDevice that does NOT have a Samsung chip in it
All the Samsung haters seem to want Samsung components around here anyway, so I doubt that will happen. What's ore likely to happen is threads asking "How can I tell if my A8 is Samsung?" or "How can be sure I walk out with an Samsung A8"
Exactly. If TSMC was a member of the "Common Platform Alliance" (big players: IBM, Samsung, GloFo), that'd be one thing - CP will try to make foundry switching possible within their group, for SOME processes. However, TSMC is a world all of its own.
It is not as simple as that. If you manufacture everything then you open yourself up to a lot more litigation from lawsuit happy countries such as the US when they make a mistake.