Posted on Friday, November 15 2013 @ 13:20 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
X-bit Labs
writes Globalfoundries may land chip orders from Apple as the later wants to diversify its suppliers as well as expand its chip production. Samsung and GlobalFoundries use a common 28nm and 20nm process technology platform, making it easier for customers to allocate production to another foundry.
Despite of decreasing market share, actual sales of Apple consumer products – most of which rely on the company’s own application processors – are increasing pretty rapidly. As a result, the company needs more and more chips. Historically, Samsung Semiconductor made chips for Apple. However, nowadays, Samsung has to make chips not only for Apple, but for its own devices as well, which may be tricky given limited production capacities.
In a bid to get a second source for its application processors, Apple has reached an agreement with GlobalFoundries and Samsung Semiconductor under which the latter will help the former to initiate making Apple system-on-chips at the Fab 8 in Malta, New York, reports TimesUnion web-site. Samsung itself will continue production of A5, A6, A6X and A7 app processors at its S2 fab in Austin, Texas.
