Citigroup analyst J.T. Hsu told the China Economic News Service that he believes Apple (AAPL) will further distance itself from working with Samsung (005930) by moving to processors provided by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSM). Every single iOS device has had Samsung-produced processors. Hsu says that TSMC will provide Apple with quad-core processors fit for future iPads, the long-rumored iTV, and MacBooks that will use a 20 nanometer processor over Samsung’s 32 nanometer processors. His rationale is that Apple has already verified TSMC’s 20nm chips in August and might begin production in November to prepare for devices in 2013. As for iPhone processors, Hsu surmises Apple will stick to dual-core processors for future models because of their “low-power consumption merit.”
[Via iMore]