Apple parting ways with Samsung?
Rumours in April suggested that Apple was discussing an arrangement with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
Gus Richard, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, has since proposed that Intel itself may want a piece of this particular pie.
“It makes strategic sense for both companies. The combination of Apple's growing demand and market share in smartphones and tablets gives Intel a position in these markets and drives the logic volume Intel needs to stay ahead in manufacturing,” Richard said.
Apple's deal with TSMC clearly shows that it is trying to diversify its silicon suppliers away from Samsung, says The Inquirer.
Its recent legal battle with Samsung should only intensify its efforts to find alternate fabs to make its processors.
Even though Apple is making moves to shift its dependency away from Samsung, Richard says that it will take a few years for Apple to change foundry suppliers.
So even if Intel is able to add Apple as a foundry customer, it might be a while before it begins to benefit from that.
Intel already provides the processors used in Apple's Mac computers, and yesterday Apple unveiled a new line of Macs that uses Intel's Thunderbolt technology, which lets users transfer large files (like video) from peripherals much more quickly than USB, states SF Gate.
On last month's earnings call, Intel CEO Paul Otellini said it would unveil in May a major technology advance that lets it make chips with circuitry just 22 nanometres apart - about 50% thinner than the 32-nanometre technology it uses today.
Those chips would be smaller and use less power than today's, making them perfect for low-powered mobile devices.
Share