iPhone 5 Release Date: Samsung and Apple Begin A6 Chip Production Despite Injunction
Despite Apple's successful sales injunction against Samsung in Australia last week, Samsung is reportedly ramping up Apple's A6 processing chip for the next iPhone.
Apple's A6 processing chip is currently being produced by Samsung at the company's Austin, Texas manufacturing plant.
Rival foundry TSMC has yet to stabilize its own production of the A6 chip, so Samsung has opted to speed up its production of it instead. TSMC has reportedly begun its trial manufacturing of Apple's A6 chip anyway.
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This processing chip is said to be the main component for Apple's rumored iPhone 5.
Industry insiders offered the Korea Times a statement on both companies' plans: "Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor (AP) chips to be used in the next iPhone. It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner. Samsung Electronics will apply its advanced 28-nanometer processing technology to produce qualified A6 mobile AP's. TSMC will provide customized chips with designs from Apple, however, the volume will be very small."
A high ranking executive from another Apple supplier also stated that "Apple isn’t taking risks. Samsung offers better pricing and capacity commitment for the A6 mobile AP's."
News of this partnership between both Samsung and Apple comes right after the court injunctions filed by both companies against one another.
A high ranking executive from Samsung told the Korea Times about the company's legal problems: "We don’t think we were losing our grip. The recent decisions by courts in Europe weren’t favorable. But we are still positive that we will win eventually. The bottom line is that our legal team has reached a consensus to beat Apple at the appeals courts. We are in for the long-haul."
Should Samsung lose their court case with Apple, the Samsung executive knows where to place the blame: "Samsung chief executive Choi Gee-sung will take full responsibility of the ongoing legal issue."
