Despite some chatter about iPhone sales slowing down ahead of the launch of the iPhone 7, an Apple chipmaker is going all in on the new handset.
The manufacturer that is set to build Apple’s A10 chips for the iPhone 7 is doubling its output. A new report claims that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is doubling its monthly output capacity from 40,000 to 80,000.
Chipmaker TSMC tells investors of positive forecasts
After making 40,000 chips in February, capacity will double to 80,000 in March. At the company’s latest investor meeting, co-CEO CC Wei said that TSMC’s market share is set to increase significantly from 40% in 2015 to over 70% this year.
The latest report doesn’t make specific mention of Apple, but the Cupertino-based tech giant is one of TSMC’s big 16nm customers. Others include Xilinx, MediaTek, HiSilicon, Spreadtrum and Nvidia.
Analysts report that TSMC won the contract to produce the A10 chip last year, beating out rival Samsung. TSMC reportedly promised to improve performance, reduce costs and improve battery life when compared to the A9 chip used by the iPhone 6s.
TSMC investing heavily to meet predicted future orders
The company recently spent $81.8 million on new chip manufacturing equipment, a huge sum in the industry. TSMC also put aside $9 billion to $10 billion for 2016 in order to develop 10-nanometer processes at the company foundry.
As it stands the company has not officially been confirmed as Apple’s only A10 chipmaker, but it looks increasingly likely that it will be. The struggle to build A9 chips was fierce before Apple eventually split orders between TSMC and Samsung.
With the investment in new equipment and the report on the doubling of capacity, it appears that the company is confident that it will be ready if and when Apple comes calling.
Rumors swirling over Apple iPhone 7 features
The latest version of Apple’s iPhone is expected to appear around fall this year, should the company follow its usual launch schedule. Even months before the launch, the internet is alive with rumors of new features and innovations.
One particularly controversial rumor involves the reported removal of the headphone jack. According to reports the iPhone 7 will ship without the 3.5mm audio connection, in order to allow the new smartphone to be considerably slimmer than its predecessors.
The rumor has been met with widespread opposition online, with many social media users expressing disappointment that they will be forced to invest in new accessories. The controversy has been likened to the company’s 2012 decision to replace the 30-pin connector with a Lightning port, rendering old accessories obsolete with the launch of the iPhone 5.
What is Apple planning for its next generation smartphone?
Other rumors include the possible introduction of an iPhone 7 Pro, bringing the smartphone in line with other product lines including the iPad and MacBook. These rumors started after pictures that allegedly showed the new iPhone chassis were leaked online.
Now it appears that the iPhone 7 will indeed be released in three different sizes. According to renowned Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be joined by an even larger iPhone 7 Pro.
The difference between the Plus and the Pro is the fact that the larger model will feature a groundbreaking new camera which uses dual lens technology developed by LinX. The new camera will perform better in low light and will even feature a 2-3X optical zoom.
