Apple surprised the world in 2020 with the introduction of its Apple M1 SoC. The company ditched the x86 processors from Intel in favor of the ARM platform. With the Apple M1, the company started to focus on ARM-based computers and even changed its operating systems to support it. The ARM-based processors are capable of handling iOS apps due to the similar architecture. The choice proved to be very successful for Apple. We saw many iterations of the M1 since November 2020, including the Apple M1 Max, M1 Pro, and M1 Ultra. Now, the company is starting to focus on the upcoming Apple M2 series. The company currently uses the M1 architecture in MacBook, Mac, and iPad. As a result, there is a huge demand for chips now. So, it may be very profitable for companies to make part of the manufacturing process. Therefore, Samsung is trying to take a slice of this profit.
Samsung wants to play an important role in Apple M2 manufacturing
According to reports, Samsung wants to participate in Apple M2 manufacturing. In fact, the company is producing FC-BGA substrates that are crucial for modern high-density chips with circuit connections. Now, it wants to also be part of the Apple M2 chip production. The Samsung Electro-Mechanics arm is trying to close a deal with Apple. The goal is to produce the same FC-BGA substrates for the upcoming Apple M2 chip. Interestingly, the report coincides with the news of Samsung investing around $1 billion in building an FC-BGA production facility. The company is building a new facility in Vietnam, which is an important country for Samsung’s manufacturing arms. Furthermore, the company also is investing around $241 million into a facility in its homeland South Korea.
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We don’t know exactly when Apple will unveil the Apple M2. However, there is a strong chance that the company will take the same route it took in 2020. The company may disclose the Apple M2 with the new MacBook and MacBook Pro series later in 2022. The company may unveil new laptops sporting the basic version of the Apple M2. Thereafter, the company will likely introduce new variants such as an Apple M2 Pro, Apple M2 Max, and Apple M2 Ultra. That’s just speculation, but if the company follows the pace of the Apple M1 that is what will happen. The upgrades should be incremental for more performance and arrive with the 2023 lineup of Macs and MacBooks.
Samsung and Apple have been rivals and partners in recent years. Rivals in the smartphone and electronics segment, however, Samsung plays an important role as a supplier.
