Why This Apple Inc. Chip Rumor Is Likely False - This Fool Debunks a silly Apple Rumor

The Motley Fool ^ | Feb 11, 2016 at 11:45AM | By Ashraf Eassa

[Swordmaker]

This Fool debunks a silly Apple rumor.

A report from The Electronic Times (via MacRumors) claims that contract chip manufacturer TSMC (NYSE:TSM) will be the sole manufacturer of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) next generation applications processor known as the A10.

This is something that I believe, having confirmed it with a source familiar with Apple's plans back in October after Taiwan's Commercial Times first broke the story.

Where I believe The Electronic Times gets it wrong is that it claims that the A10 will be manufactured on TSMC's 10-nanometer chip manufacturing technology. There is essentially zero chance that this is true. Here's why.

Understanding when TSMC plans to go into production on 10-nanometer

TSMC has publicly said that it will begin mass production of products on its 10-nanometer technology in late 2016 and will begin to recognize revenue in the first quarter of 2017. Given that Apple is expected to launch its next generation iPhone in September (which would suggest production start in June, as the article claims), this is a complete non-starter.

Unless TSMC has dramatically pulled in its 10-nanometer schedule (something that it likely would have announced on its most recent earnings call), there is practically no chance that the A10 will be built on a 10-nanometer process.

The A10 is said to be built on TSMC 16 FinFET Plus According to a source familiar with Apple's plans, the A10 will in fact be manufactured solely on the company's 16-nanometer FinFET Plus technology, the very same that was used to manufacture a portion of the A9 processors that made it to the marketplace inside of the iPhone 6s/6s Plus.

Although Apple won't enjoy the significant benefits that come with a new manufacturing process with the A10, the iDevice maker's chip teams should still be able to deliver some very substantial performance and power improvements by way of design/architecture enhancements.

Look for a 10-nanometer A11 and a 7-nanometer A12 Although this year Apple won't move to a new manufacturing technology, I expect that Apple will deliver something of a "one-two" punch with the A11 and A12 in the 2017 and 2018 iPhones, respectively.

The A11 should be the first Apple processor built on TSMC's 10-nanometer chip manufacturing technology -- expect this one to power the 2017 iPhone 7s. The move to 10-nanometer should enable performance improvements by way of more efficient transistors as well as the ability to pack more of them into a given chip area.

TSMC has made it clear, though, that the 10-nanometer manufacturing technology is intended to be a "short" node; much of the equipment that is put into place to support 10-nanometer production is expected to be converted over to support 7-nanometer production.

I expect that the A12 will be built on TSMC's 7-nanometer technology, which should enable both a nice boost in performance as well as room to really boost the number of transistors that Apple can pack into the chip. Since the technology is expected to go into production in the first half of 2018, it should be ready to support a broad iPhone 8/8 Plus launch in the fall of 2018.

By way of the advancements that TSMC is making in chip manufacturing technology, Apple investors should expect some very nice performance/power/functionality gains over the next couple of iPhone generations. I know that I can't wait!

[Swordmaker]

No, Apple's new A10 probably won't be made to a 10 nanometer standard, according to the Motley Fool. More likely 16 nanometer. -- PING!

Apple A10 Tech
Ping!

The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me

[Swordmaker]

Thanks for the heads up, Sunk

[wastedyears]

AMD has a line of A10 APUs.

[dennisw]

These pathetic A10 chips are as powerful as a celeron with a benchmark of 871. The only reason they seem impressive in an iphone is because you cannot multitask with an iphone and you cannot open up many internet pages simultaneously. IOW an iphone is an ultra portable retarded computer that can take photographs and make phone calls and hop on the internet anywhere you might be.

[TXnMA]

Just over an hour response time -- at 4AM. That's not too bad for whatever shill is manning the "dennisw" cubicle during "Graveyard Shift"...

Of course, having a pre-canned response queued up helped to get your anti-Apple marketing screed out in a timely fashion.

But, the real secret to your "accomplishment" is having a crew of semiliterate drones manning that terminal full-time -- even when the rest of the world is peacefully asleep.

How many yuan per shift do they pay you pitiful examples of "workers??

And, do they pay their imbecile who makes up your mindless drivel a premium of a yuan or more a week?

~~~~~~~~~~

But, of course the real secret to your 24/7 Apple-stalking is simple: it's called, "NOT HAVING A LIFE!"

Pitiful. Truly pitiful...

[dayglored]

And the beat goes on ...

[dennisw]

I have not posted to any Apple thread for at least two weeks and it might be more. So kindly bugger off, AppleBot!

[TXnMA]

‘-)

[TXnMA]

"I have not posted to any Apple thread for at least two weeks and it might be more."

~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for informing us.

You weren't missed...

[Swordmaker]

I have not posted to any Apple thread for at least two weeks and it might be more. So kindly bugger off, AppleBot!

Is that what that breath of fresh air was? No wonder it was so pleasant and nice around here. No daily bile raining down on the picnickers. No skunk, no ants. No juvenile delinquent painting his graffiti on the scenery. You were not missed.

Suddenly a dark storm cloud has descended again. Too bad.

[dennisw]

Am I right about an A10 being roughly like a celeron with a passmark benchmark of 800? Like this one: Intel Celeron B720 @1.70GHz
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+B720+%40+1.70GHz&id=667

Score- 814

[dennisw]

Am I right about an A10 being roughly like a celeron with a passmark benchmark of 800? Like this one: Intel Celeron B720 @1.70GHz
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+B720+%40+1.70GHz&id=667

Score- 814

[TheBattman]

I have about come to the conclusion that the troll account known as “dennisw” is actually, at least in-part, manned by an admin. After Jim Robinson took the original account holder to task, threatening drastic measures if he continued to troll these threads, nothing ever really changed. Everything from personal attacks to just plain idiocy (like the post you reference above).

dennisw represents what has truly gone wrong with FR - not just in Apple threads but in general - the moonbats and the fake “Conservatives” have been allowed to take root and bully their way around. The admins do nothing...

[TheBattman]

I will refrain from posting my extremely ugly reply to dennisw that is filling my mind - because I would likely receive the chastisement of the moderators that dennisw is “suppose” to receive (at least if Jim Rob were actually to ever follow through with what he said he would do...don’t hold your breath).