The chips for Apple’s iPhone 6 are reported to already be in production at Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:TSM). We’ve been hearing murmurings that Apple would cut competitor Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) completely out of its supply chain at some point.
TSMC said to have won most iPhone 6 chip orders
The report comes from the Commercial Times and cites sources within Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s supply chain. They reportedly said Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:TSM) won most of Apple’s logic and power management chip orders for the iPhone 6. Of course the handset is expected to use Apple’s A8 chip, which would be the next generation of the chip which is in the iPhone.
A report from another website, the Taiwanese site TechNews, claims that Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:TSM) will become Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s only supplier for iPhone 6 chips. Both reports echo reports we have been hearing for some time that Apple will completely cut Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) out of its supply chain, or at least reduce its reliance on its top competitor.
When can we expect the iPhone 6?
Of course the debate about when the iPhone 6 will come out continues, and this latest report from the Commercial Times claims that the handset will launch sometime early in the third quarter of the year. That puts it at a likely June launch, which would be in line with rumors we have heard elsewhere. The report also suggests that the handset will feature a 4.7-inch screen, which again, is in line with the other things we have heard about it.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) may have to keep playing catch-up in a few areas, like waterproofing and dustproofing, if it is going to stay competitive in the market. However, consumers have shown less and less concern about specs as they continue to stand in line for hours just to get their hands on the company’s newest devices.
