Despite Apple Inc’s dependence on Samsung Electronics Co for key components, only a few Taiwanese suppliers may gain more orders from Apple as the US company tries to diversify supply sources, a research report said on Sunday.
TrendForce Corp (集邦科技), a Taipei-based market information advisory firm, said in the report that Apple may give more orders for key components to leading suppliers in individual sectors, especially in the US, China, Japan and South Korea.
Among Taiwanese suppliers, only flat-panel maker AU Optronics Corp (友達光電) has tapped into the supply chain for Apple’s new tablets, the report said. Most other Taiwanese makers of key components have little chance of winning more Apple orders, it said.
Despite Apple’s strategy of diversification, Samsung remains the main manufacturer of the processors used in iPhones and iPads, the report said.
Apple’s orders for mobile DRAM chips from Samsung have dropped to 30 percent in the second half of the year from 40 percent in the first half, while its orders from Hynix Semiconductor Inc have increased from 30 percent to 35 percent and those with Elpida Memory Inc have risen from 30 percent to 35 percent, the report said.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), however, is expected to win orders for Apple’s next-generation “A7” processor next year. However, US-based GlobalFoundries Inc and Intel Corp are likely to emerge as the two main competitors, based on existing partnerships and production capabilities, it said.
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