Apple could ditch Samsung for next iPhone chip, TSMC impacted by Taiwan earthquake

As we head towards the launch of the next iPhone, we’ve heard a few rumours in the past of how audio is going to be a key highlight in the iPhone 7 . In addition, it is widely speculated that Apple could do away with the 3.5mm audio jack altogether .

Among the most interesting aspects of the iPhone 7 is the next chip from Apple. Considering that Samsung and Apple have been embroiled in legal disputes for years, it was believed that Apple could opt for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) instead for supply of the A9 processors.

Earlier, processors for the iPhone 5 were supplied by Samsung. Briefly, during the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, TSMC was the sole manufacturer for the A8 chip. In the current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the A9 chip was sourced from both Samsung and TSMC. Currently, the A9x, is regarded as Apple’s most powerful chip ever and is currently used in the iPad Pro. However, for the iPhone 7, Apple is likely to opt fo TSMC to deliver the A10 chip .

Unfortunately, it turns out the recent earthquake at Taiwan could be a reason for concern. Initially, on 6 February, TSMC said that wafer shipments would decrease less than 1 percent on account of the recent earthquake. However, according to a report by Digitimes , after assessing the damage, TSMC has estimated that the impact would be greater than 1 percent, without elaborating to what extent.

With the launch of the iPhone 7 about seven months away, there still seems to be plenty of time for Apple’s suppliers and manufacturers to recover from the lull and keep shipments on track.