Commercial production has begun on TSMC’s 7nm chip. This is the same chip likely to be found in Apple’s upcoming A12 processor for all three 2018 iPhone models.
Production begins on A12 chip for all three 2018 iPhones
Suppliers
Apple met with suppliers at CES that make parts for augmented reality glasses
Apple’s indirect presence may be fading from CES as Google and Amazon stole the show with their smart assistants and speakers, but that didn't stop the Cupertino company's representatives from holding curious talks with some interesting suppliers in Las Vegas.
Apple’s “headset-like” AR device apparently coming no later than 2019
Apple is thought to work on some kind of an augmented reality headset accessory and now a high-ranking official with one of Apple's key Taiwanese suppliers claims that the rumored device will be coming no later than the year 2019.
TSMC starts development of A12 chips for 2018 iPhones
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest contract chip maker, is in the early stage of development and testing of manufacturing processes in preparation for Apple's next-generation A12 chips for 2018 iPhones.
Apple seeks tax breaks for suppliers to build iPhones from scratch in India
A limited run of “Assembled in India” iPhone SE models is now rolling from the assembly lines in India, run by Apple's contract manufacturer Wistron, but the Cupertino technology giant is now seeking extend tax breaks for its suppliers to build iPhones in the country from scratch.
Nikkei: all iPhones released next year will use OLED screens
Apple will use advanced organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels in all new iPhones launched from the second half of 2018, according to industry sources cited in a report Thursday by Japanese outlet Nikkei.
An industry source added that the Californian company is “tentatively looking” at releasing three new iPhones next year, adding Apple has already started to design the upcoming models.
Apple's plans are contingent upon suppliers' ability to churn out OLED panels in volume.
Because of that, the company could change its plans down the road. Sources in the OLED production equipment industry suggested that vendors may be unable to manufacture enough OLED panels to meet demand should Apple in fact go with OLEDs across 2018 iPhones.
An unnamed Sharp executive was quoted in the story as saying that “it was not likely” Apple will be using OLED screens for all new iPhones next year.
Here's a recent video of a CNC-machined iPhone 8 dummy based on the rumor-mill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1gx086ZxU
This year, as you know, Apple is widely expected to outfit iPhone 8 with an OLED-based screen.
The flagship device is expected to sport the highest screen-to-body ratio, ditch the physical Home button and reduce or completely eliminate the top and bottom chin.
Yuanta Investment Consulting said shipments of 2017 iPhones will reach 90 million handsets, half of which will be OLED models.
As for the iterative iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus updates coming down the pike this year, these devices will continue to sport LCD screens like prior iPhone models.
Nikkei added that the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models will be sold into early 2019. In other words, panel vendors will still be able to supply LCDs for older Apple handsets next year and well into 2019.