For a while Apple has relied on Samsung to produce their A-series of chipsets that have been found in the iPhones and iPads, but in recent years Apple has also turned to other companies such as TSMC, who last we heard was the exclusive supplier for the A11 Bionic chipset. That exclusivity was thought to end in 2018 with Samsung coming on board for the A12, but apparently that might no longer be the case.
According to a report from DigiTimes, it seems that TSMC has once again landed the exclusive contract to supply Apple for the A12 chipset, which is based on history and the rumors, will most likely end up powering this year’s iPhone (this year’s iPad will most likely be powered by the A11X or some variant of the A11, as we have seen in the past).
The report reads, “Both Apple and Qualcomm are among TSMC’s major customers, with the foundry house contracted to fabricate all the A12 processor chips for the 2018 new-generation iPhone devices, according to industry sources.” Unfortunately not much is known about the A12 chipset just yet in terms of performance or features, but chances we’ll only find out towards the later part of the year where Apple will most likely announce the new iPhones.