It seems the iPhone 6 will not only mark Apple's first truly large handset, but also its first product with a new chip manufacturing partner.
The Wall Street Journal reports the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has begun shipping out 20-nanometer processors to Apple. Sources familiar with the situation say the move will allow Apple to negotiate cheaper prices for its parts.
Whether this means the price of iDevices will come down as a result remains to be seen.
TSMC is also purportedly working with the Cupertino company to produce even more advanced 16-nanometer chip manufacturing technology. Supposedly the chipmaker intends to produce smaller processors in large scale next year.
Former BFFs
The deal has been in the works for more than a year and a half but once cemented, this new partnership will oust Samsung as Apple's sole microprocessor supplier.
Even before Apple began working with TSMC it's been moving away from working with the Korean electronics firm ever since it won a lawsuit in 2012 accusing Samsung of copying the designs of the iPhone and iPad.
Suppliers say Apple no longer sources iPhone screens from Samsung and has begun to reduce orders on iPad screens. The iPhone maker has also reportedly shifted its memory-chip orders from Samsung to other chipmakers including SK Hynix and Toshiba Corp.
So far Apple's shift in parts supplier hasn't affect the quality or availability of iDevices, so hopefully everything should still be smooth sailing for the iPhone 6 as well.
- Never fear, our iPad Air review is here!
