iPhone 5 Release Date: Samsung to Manufacture A6 Chip for Next Apple Smartphone
The iPhone 5 is expected by some analysts to launch in 2012 and will include an A6 quad-core processor.
The A6 chip will be designed by Apple, but manufactured by the company’s biggest rival, Samsung.
According to 9to5Mac, Samsung is allegedly ramping up production of the Apple-designed-quad core A6 chips in its manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.
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The site discovered this information in the Korea Times on Monday.
Industry sources revealed to the publication that Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor chips to be used in the next iPhone.
Despite their warring in different parts of the world over patents, both Samsung and Apple seem to have concluded that they still need each other for projects such as this.
With the use of Samsung’s advanced 28-nanometer processing technology, Apple will be able to produce qualified A6 mobile AP’s.
Apple did about $8 billion worth of business in parts alone this year with Samsung which made up roughly five percent of its revenue.
Samsung remains Apple’s biggest overseas client despite their differences.
It was reported back in March that Apple was shifting production of its processors over to TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), but this is a process which can possibly take years.
Apple is not willing to jump into this agreement prematurely.
It makes more sense for it to continue sourcing in-house designed processors for iOS devices from Samsung until TSMC is ready to take over.
Even though Apple is continuing to work with the company, Samsung is sending out a message stating that it will not be entering a broad cross-licensing agreement with the iPhone creator.
A high-ranking Samsung executive was quoted in the Korea Times recently stating that the company does not “see any signs of entering a comprehensive cross-licensing deal with Apple."
