Trouble In Taiwan: TSMC Reportedly Loses Apple And Qualcomm Chip Orders
Perhaps the breakup between Apple and Samsung on the manufacturing side won't last all that long, after all. It was recently reported that Apple was reducing its reliance on Samsung by giving coveted chip orders to TSMC for its upcoming iPhone 6 and other mobile devices, but now there are mumblings in the media that TSMC is losing orders.
In a note to clients, KGI Securities analyst Michael Liu said it's likely that both Apple and Qualcomm will buy a bigger portion of 14nm smartphone chips from Samsung than TSMC beginning in the second half of 2015, Reuters reports. Liu didn't say where he was getting his information from, or even why both companies would turn their back on TSMC next year.
It's especially perplexing to figure out what's going on with Apple. The Cupertino company is apparently confident enough in TSMC to give it a bulk order for chips that will be used in the iPhone 6, but if Liu's information is accurate, then Apple's already made the decision to switch back the majority of manufacturing chores to rival Samsung.
Of course, this is all just speculation at this point. Should TSMC do a stellar job manufacturing custom chips for the iPhone 6, it'd be difficult to imagine Apple pulling a 180 and tossing business at Samsung when it would prefer to sever ties altogether.
In a note to clients, KGI Securities analyst Michael Liu said it's likely that both Apple and Qualcomm will buy a bigger portion of 14nm smartphone chips from Samsung than TSMC beginning in the second half of 2015, Reuters reports. Liu didn't say where he was getting his information from, or even why both companies would turn their back on TSMC next year.
It's especially perplexing to figure out what's going on with Apple. The Cupertino company is apparently confident enough in TSMC to give it a bulk order for chips that will be used in the iPhone 6, but if Liu's information is accurate, then Apple's already made the decision to switch back the majority of manufacturing chores to rival Samsung.
Of course, this is all just speculation at this point. Should TSMC do a stellar job manufacturing custom chips for the iPhone 6, it'd be difficult to imagine Apple pulling a 180 and tossing business at Samsung when it would prefer to sever ties altogether.
