A report from DigiTimes claims that Apple has requested last minute discounts from Samsung and TSMC for supplying its A9 chips.
Both companies will be fabricating Apple’s A9 chip on their 14/16nm FinFET process this year. The chip will be used by the company inside its upcoming iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
As per the report, TSMC is “inclined to refuse” Apple with any further discount on supplying its A9 chips, though this may lead the Cupertino headquartered company to cutback on the order of the chips it has placed to TSMC. Samsung , on the other hand, has agreed to give further discounts to the company and will also provide Apple will “almost-free” backend services for A9 chips.
Since 16nm chip orders from other companies are still relatively small, TMSC is looking into slowing down the pace at which it had initially planned on ramping up production on its new process node. The company had originally targeted 30,000 wafers based on its 16nm FinFET process, but an order cutback from Apple will likely reduce the output to below 20,000 units in August.
Apple is reported to unveil the new iPhones using its next generation A9 chip sometime next month.
[Via Digitimes]
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