Apple is far from releasing new iPhone models, yet various reports have already taken stabs at offering some specific details about the upcoming handsets. The new iPhone family is expected to feature 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models, a new A9 chip that’s made by Samsung and TSMC, and the new Force Touch feature that’s already available on the Apple Watch and Retina MacBook.
Interestingly, a new report from the Economic Daily News suggests that Apple’s main supplier had a hand in influencing the future of the iPhone 6s.
DON’T MISS: I really wanted to hate the Apple Watch
Apparently, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou talked Apple into awarding some A9 chip orders to TSMC. Initially, reports stated that Samsung will make the next-gen iPhone and iPad processors.
However, others have said that Apple made a “last-minute” decision to purchase A9 chips from TSMC. Apple is looking to have enough A9 supply for future devices, which is why the company has seemingly contracted TSMC to build up to 30% of future A9 orders, that report said, suggesting that strong Galaxy S6 sales are diverting some of Samsung’s chip supply towards its own Galaxy S smartphones.
TSMC is already an Apple partner, as the company has been hired to make the chips in current iPhone and iPad models. Meanwhile, Foxconn is the biggest device manufacturer in the world, responsible for mass-producing iPhone 6 models, among other products. The company has already given Apple preferential treatment when it comes to manufacturing lines, and is said to have invested in a display facility that would operate just to meet Apple’s future demands.
Gou’s reasoning for supporting TSMC for the next-gen iPhone seems to be a political one, as the executive wants to rally Taiwan-based companies against South Korean companies, especially Samsung.
