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New report says Samsung won’t be a key chip supplier for the iPhone 6s and iPad Air 3

Published Dec 31st, 2014 8:30AM EST
2015 iPhone and iPad Rumors:
Image: Jonathan Geller, BGR

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Samsung will not be the only company entrusted with orders for the next-gen A9 processors that will go inside Apple’s 2015 iPhone and iPad models, as a new report from Taipei Times says that TSMC is likely to win the bulk of new chip orders.

FROM EARLIER: The latest iPhone 6s rumor suggests Samsung will play a huge role

Apparently, the Taiwanese chip supplier has better production yields than Samsung, which might be an important asset for the iPhone maker.

“The two companies’ technological capabilities are similar, so the key factor will be whose mass-production yield is better,” Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute director Chris Hung told reports during a press conference on technology industry trends for 2015.

The analyst also added that TSMC isn’t likely to get all A9 orders next year, saying that Apple will probably also use chips made by Samsung.

“[As] Apple tends to spread the risks, it is likely that the winning supplier of A9 will not take all the orders,” the exec said.

Recent reports have also revealed that Samsung isn’t out of Apple’s supply chain for iPhone and iPad, claiming that the South Korean giant may secure important chip orders for the next iOS devices.

Even so, details are scarce at the moment on Apple’s iPhone and iPad plans for 2015, and while these devices should pack an even faster, and likely more energy-efficient, chip than previous models, Apple is yet to unveil detail about an A9 chip generation.

In addition to Samsung and TSMC, other companies may also be interested in a piece of the iPhone chip supplying business in the future, especially China-based ones, with the country investing heavily in a chip industry of its own.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.