Despite a plethora of rumors claiming that Apple will be turning to TSMC to produce its next generation of A-series processors that power its mobile device it looks like the company will be, once again, returning to its rival Samsung to produce the hardware. Known as the A9 chip, this hardware will power the devices that Apple will be releasing this year.
Apple is discovering it’s harder to split from Samsung than it would like. The company has used Samsung for all manner of components, though it has been working to reduce reliance on its chief rival. With the iPhone 6, Apple found an alternative supplier for many of the A8 chips that lend the smarts to its smartphones. While Apple had hoped to rely more heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to fabricate the Ax family of processors used in its iOS devices, the company has turned to Samsung for its next-generation A9 chip, according to people with knowledge of the situation.