According to reports from AppleInsider Beijing on June 26th, although Samsung has basically lost orders for OEMs for Apple processors in recent years, it is said that it is working hard and hopes to recoup some Apple processor OEM orders from TSMC in 2019.
According to a DigiTimes source, in order to achieve this goal, Samsung is developing its InFO packaging technology 'all-out' and claims to be ahead of TSMC in the production of chips using the 7nm EUV lithography process. Some media reported that TSMC’s latest InFO technology Has been approved by Apple, so that it can obtain orders for the iPhone A12 processor released this year.
Samsung even did not hesitate to reduce the order quotation of EUV lithography process by 20%, hoping to attract many customers, but may not get a response from potential customers. It is said that the reason may be due to the risk of quality and yield of 7nm EUV lithography process. It is such a trouble. TSMC may only fully integrate the EUV lithography process in the production of 5-nanometer process chips.
Although attracting major customers such as Apple, Samsung may initially use the EUV lithography process to produce chips for its own Galaxy S10 mobile phone.
TSMC claims that its InFO packaging method can reduce the chip package thickness, while increasing the chip speed and reducing power waste. Although advanced, but the EUV lithography process is also quite complicated for several reasons. For example, because all substances absorb extreme ultraviolet rays, so Requirements working environment is vacuum.
Samsung was the exclusive manufacturer of Apple's A-series processors. As the competition between the two companies intensified and the patent warfare was intensified, Apple began to hand over the business to TSMC--the exclusive supplier of A-series chips to Apple. One reason why A-series chip orders are handed over to Samsung is because it helps to reduce the chip price.
As the exclusive display supplier of iPhone X, Samsung still supplies a large number of components to Apple. Samsung is still the only OLED display manufacturer that can meet Apple's demand, and at least this situation will not be changed this year. 2019 Apple OLED display Supply may be diversified.