A new report, from semi-reliable publication Digitimes says Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has landed the contract to produce Apple’s A8X chip that will be featured in the company’s much-rumored 12.9-inch iPad.
The report notes that the processors will be intended for “Apple’s next-generation iPad to be released in early 2015,” and lines up with a report earlier this year from Taiwan’s TechNews which shared similar details.
While “Apple’s next-generation iPad to be released in early 2015,” could indicate a delayed release for Apple’s upcoming iPad Air 2, the delivery date mentioned matches that of rumors about the 12.9-inch “iPad Pro”.
Digitimes sources indicate the A8X is being produced using the same 20-nanometer process used for the A8 found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. However, the A8X’s bigger system-on-a-chip may create possible yield issues for TSMC.
Recent photo leaks have indicated the iPad Air 2 will also use the A8X chip.
Apple is expected to debut the iPad Air 2 – and possibly an updated Retina iPad mini – alongside updated iMacs, including a 27-inch model sporting a Retina display, at their event, coming up on Thursday, October 16. MacTrast will be live-tweeting the event, with all the information about the announcements immediately following the event.
