Time and time again it has been rumored that Apple is looking to shift its chip manufacturing business away from Samsung. Rumors about this possibility were in circulation prior to the launch of the company’s new iPhones as well, which run on chips made by the company’s rival. The South Korean giant has long remained one of the biggest manufacturers of processors for Apple. A Korean newspaper reports that the A8 processor, which will probably debut with next year’s devices, will be primarily manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. As per the report, TSMC might handle nearly 60 – 70 percent of all A8 manufacturing.
The reason why Apple is said to shift most of its processor business away from Samsung is believed to be the endless legal battles both companies fight, and the fact that both of them are competing for supremacy in the global smartphone market. Earlier this year Apple signed a contract with TSMC, confirming that it will be receiving processors from the Taiwan based company. However, through next year, majority of the manufacturing is said to be done by Samsung. For the A8, it is believed that Samsung will only account for 30 to 40 percent of the total production of this processor, in 2014.