Intel Core M vs Apple A8!

By SemiWiki

September 15, 2014

There were two big announcements last week right in my backyard and I missed them both! Instead, I was in Taiwan investigating yet another big development and all three of these events will intersect next year, absolutely.

At IDF in San Francisco Intel outlined the new 14nm Core M. This is an impressive CPU, one that will fill the now half empty Intel fabs. I was even told that the shuttered fab in Arizona will be re-opened for added 14nm capacity in 2015. That is great news as there is nothing sadder than an empty $5B fab, absolutely.

Apple announced the hotly anticipated A8 (iPhone6) and was much more forthcoming with technical information than before. They certainly are proud of this SoC and if you take a close look at the specifications you will know why. It is….. wait for it….. LEGENDARY! Apple disrupts the semiconductor industry yet again!

The news out of Taiwan is the TSMC 16FF+ process, which Morris Chang said would be delayed until 2H 2015, has been pulled into 1H 2015 which puts it into reach of the coveted Apple business. Since Apple releases new iProducts in the Fall of each year the foundries have to lockstep with the rest of the Apple supply chain and deliver wafers in 1H 2015.

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