Apple’s next-gen A7 SoC is reportedly slated to debut during the first half of 2014.
However, TSMC, rather than Samsung, is said to be responsible for developing and fabbing the chip.
As previously discussed on TG Daily, Cupertino has indigenously designed custom mobile chips for years with Samsung, although ties between the two industry heavyweights have grown increasingly acrimonious in recent years due to multiple and ongoing patent disputes.
According to the Korea Times, Samsung has set it sights on expanding its partnership with Nvidia in an attempt to offset expected losses from Apple’s move to TSMC.
Samsung also predicts that its chipmaking division will experience growth due to pending sales of the Galaxy S4 handset which is powered by the ARM-based Exynos chipset.
Interestingly, as AppleInsider’s Sam Oliver notes, Apple’s next-gen iPhone model – aka iPhone 5s – will not be fitted with a “full-fledged” A7 chip.
“Apple’s latest generation of mobile processors debuted in the iPhone 5 with the A6, while the beefed-up A6X was introduced with the fourth-generation iPad,” said Oliver.
