Apple’s next-gen A9 processor is already ahead of schedule

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TSMC and Apple: productive partnership
TSMC is one of Apple's biggest partners.
Photo: Apple/TSMC

Apple is still reliant on Samsung for many of the iPhone’s internal components, including the fabrication of its almighty A-series processors, but in an effort to secure more processor orders from Apple, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is already ahead of schedule with production of the next-generation A9 processor.

TSMC plans to enter volume production of the 16nm A9 processor during the first quarter of 2015, reports the China’s Economic Daily News, producing 50,000 wafers a month to meet Apple’s demands for the A9, which should make an appearance in the next generation iPhones and iPads announced in late 2015.

Production was initially scheduled to kickoff in the second quarter of 2015, but after fearing production would again lag behind Samsung, TSMC has accelerated the pace of its production with a 91.03 billion yuan ($14.78 billion USD) budget to expand capacity with a number of new projects.

It was reported earlier this year that both Samsung, TSMC and GlobalFoundries had reached agreements with Apple to produce the A9 processor, with Samsung producing around 30-40%. TSMC’s head start on production could help it secure a larger portion of the orders away from Samsung, which Apple certainly mind as it tries to kick its decade long Samsung addiction.

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Via: DigiTimes

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