14 DAY TRIAL // A report from Taiwan reveals that Apple is relying on the same company that makes the A-series chips for production of the processor powering its upcoming smartwatch.
Sources with ties to the chip industry report that Samsung has obtained orders for the Apple Watch processor and it will make those chips using a 28nm process. It’s unclear if Samsung is making 100% of the chips, as Apple likes to divide orders among several suppliers to avoid shortages.
System-in-package
Apple is asking for 3,000-4,000 12-inch wafers each month, and sources say the company expects to ship 10 million units in 2015, which is considerably lower than previous estimates dished out by Taiwanese media.
Apple will be using what is known as a system-in-package to house the processor. The CPU will be sharing its quarters with the DRAM and NAND memory chips, as well as other silicon dies. The SiP provider is said to be Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE).
"Second-generation" model
The same report cites analysts as saying that they’re more interested in the “second-generation Apple Watch with improved software and better features.” These people expect Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to begin duking it out for orders. This while not even the first-generation model is out yet.
Apple is clinging to the early 2015 launch window, but sources within the industry recently noted that Apple has begun preparations that indicated a March release of the smartwatch. The employee training timetable is one of the strongest indications that the device is indeed going to be released in less than three months from now.