Samsung to Provide Apple’s A8 Chip, Rumour Claims

Samsung will start manufacturing Apple’s A8 SoC, ZDNet Korea has heard today (via AppleInsider). This contradicts earlier reports claiming the iPhone maker has ditched its long-term partner in favour of TSMC, which has already started mass production of the chip.

ZDNet Korea has spoken with a Samsung executive, who wished to remain anonymous, and found that the supplier has already inked a manufacturing agreement, but no mass production has yet started, as the shipments of the A8 chip will happen around the same time as Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6.

You may recall that rumours of Apple’s possible partnership with TSMC surfaced years ago. The deal was officially signed between the parties in the middle of last year, according to the Wall Street Journal’s sources.

Since the relationship between Apple and Samsung turned from poor to sour – they are fighting both in court and for customers in stores – the rumours of an Apple–TSMC deal have gained traction.

Still, the A7 chip found inside the iPhone 5s was manufactured by Samsung. Considering the latest rumours claim that the Taiwanese semiconductor company will provide Apple the A8 chip, and Samsung will get back into the picture in 2015, the probability of a continuous partnership is very likely. But that doesn’t exclude TSMC from the list: we’ll see Apple’s choice after the company rolls out the next-generation iPhone.