Samsung’s profits are expected to “improve positively” as the Korean company’s semiconductor’s arm starts manufacturing application processors for Apple using a 14 nm process around the end of the year (via ZDNET, 9to5Mac).
Samsung is expected to start producing application processors (APs) for clients such as Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD, using its 14-nanometre process around the end of the year.
Kim Ki-nam, the president of the semiconductor business and head of the LSI business, apparently said today that Samsung will remain in Apple’s supply chain as chip supplier. In an interesting turn of events, Apple has decided to reduce its reliance on Samsung and contracted its biggest rival, TSMC, to manufacture the A8 chip, which is currently in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, using a 20 nm process.
However, Samsung didn’t fully “fall out of grace” with Apple: sources say the Korean company is supplying 30% of the A8 chip, while the rest is provided by TSMC.
Today’s “announcement” is in line with previous rumours claiming Samsung and Globalfoundries would supply Apple with the A9 chip using a 14 nm process with risk production scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, and small volume production in early 2015.
Samsung claims that application processors made using the 14 nm process have 20% more processing power and are 15% smaller than the 20 nm counterparts.
