苹果希望供应链里不再出现“三星”两字

根据多家媒体报导，苹果公司(Apple Inc.)决定不再使用三星公司(Samsung)的 A6 处理器芯片，下世代 A7 处理器生产链也可能移至台湾。这些报导引述苹果和三星之间的专利大战，就是导致这个问题发生的根源。其中有报导甚至指出，苹果公司已表态剔除三星，不再于自家产品中使用竞争对手的技术。 可能吗？那么显示器技术呢？如果苹果真的想要切断与三星之间的关系，不再采用三星作为其显示器供货商，那么真的会对这家韩国公司带来重大冲击。 处理器转单一事与台积电“沟通”已久 苹果(Apple)在2012年开始逐步执行解构三星化的动作，让产业界多直接发想台积电在未来可望全面接收苹果新款CPU代工订单的动作，并激发不少外资分析师开始下赌注，预估台积电2013年就可抢到多大的苹果CPU订单大饼。 但实际上，任何芯片制造转单、转厂、转制程的动作，至少都需要最短逾半年，长则1年以上的良率学习曲线，虽然台积电确实自2011年下半，就已和苹果进行晶片设计流程(Methodology)的沟通，之前也有一些ASIC案件在合作生产，但要台积电一口气吞下苹果CPU这块大饼，在20nm制程世代与 2014年前，应该是非常不容易看到。 熟悉台积电人士指出，苹果旗下其实有多达200余人的芯片设计与研发团队，而这个规模还在持续扩充当中，虽然以A代号开头的CPU是苹果芯片设计与研发团队的最主要工作，但其实这几年台积电也有代工制造一些专属苹果的特殊ASIC订单。 也因此，针对苹果CPU代工订单，其实早在2011年下半，台积电与旗下设计服务公司－创意电子，就已共组团队前往美国取经，虽然当下双方沟通不错，也让产业界与市场对2012年台积电首尝苹果CPU代工订单兴起许多幻想，但最终在产能问题及三星电子降价挽留下，大家寄望台积电28nm制程可望初试苹果 CPU代工订单啼声的预期，最终仍是落空。 不过，台积电与苹果自此之后，双方已有稳定的技术沟通管道，甚至台积电还把设计服务平台处长侯永清，升为副总，这个动作除了因应超大型客户对ASIC业务需求高涨的市场趋势外，不少人更直言，台积电需要有职位更高的人与苹果研发与设计团队高层建立关系，并直接洽商CPU代工订单也是另一主因。 本文授权编译自EBN Online，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：Retina屏才是苹果三星之间解不开的疙瘩

相关阅读：
• 面板供应链如何应对苹果“双刃剑”？
• 苹果去三星化，开始减少内存订单
• 苹果将开启最强供应链管理模式JSjesmc

{pagination} 众多认为苹果与三星之间关系即将绝裂的分析，花了很多时间探讨三星为苹果所制造的A6处理器。根据IHS iSuppli的拆解分析，iPhone 5中的A6处理器价值约17.5美元。而 iPhone 5 的“视网膜”(Retina)显示器价值约44美元，这是 iPhone 物料清单中单一最大的成本。 三星并不是Retina显示屏幕的独家制造商，包括LG Display、夏普(Sharp)和友达光电(AUO)都是获授权制造 Retina 的其它几家面板制造商。然而，夏普的面板最近受良率问题影响，而友达则因操纵面板价格案遭美国法院重罚。友达的官司或许不至于影响面板良率，但危机可能影响产量，因此，LG Display最有机会分得部份显示器制造订单。然而，三星仍然是苹果最重要的显示器供货商。 苹果还面临另一个问题。在接下来的几个星期中，苹果即将推出搭载 Retina显示器的新型 MacBook Pro ，要用到的 Retina 究竟要从哪里来？ 我认为大量的 Retina 仍将来自于三星的工厂。如果像iSuppli的报告所说的，一个4寸 Retina 价值44美元，那么13寸MacBook Pro用的 Retina面板价格也会更高。三星可以只从这些销售中获利。 Retina 面板是由苹果公司开发与授权的专利技术，所以理论上来看，苹果公司并未在其产品中使用竞争对手的显示技术。苹果显然正从各方面积极地捍卫其专利，但真的要划清与三星之间的关系，最终将意味着切断与三星的显示器制造业务，而三星却是这个显示器领域的重量级厂商。 没错，它将为三星带来重击，但我不建议苹果真的这么做。但如果苹果公司已经决定划清界线，那么显示器供应业务将是下一步的行动，而且也是代价最昂贵的一次。但它也可能让苹果付出同样的代价。 本文授权编译自EBN Online，版权所有，谢绝转载 编译：Susan Hong 参考英文原文：Apple-Samsung: The Other Shoe Drops，by Barbara Jorgensen, EBN Community Editor

相关阅读：
• 面板供应链如何应对苹果“双刃剑”？
• 苹果去三星化，开始减少内存订单
• 苹果将开启最强供应链管理模式JSjesmc

{pagination} Apple-Samsung: The Other Shoe Drops Barbara Jorgensen There are more reports out this week that Apple Inc. is moving away from using Samsung chips in its products. All of the reports cite the ongoing Apple-Samsung patent battle as the root of the problem. Apple, says one report, doesn't want to use its competitor's technology in its products. Really? Then what about displays? If Apple really wants to cut the cord with Samsung, drop Samsung as a display supplier. It will deal a bigger blow to the Korean company. Analyses of the impending Apple-Samsung split spend a lot of time on the A6 processor (soon to be A7) that Samsung manufactures for Apple. According to a teardown analysis by IHS iSuppli, the value of the A6 in the iPhone 5 amounts to $17.50. The iPhone's Retina display is valued at $44 -- the single biggest cost in the iPhone's bill of material. Samsung is not the exclusive manufacturer of Retina displays: LG Display, Sharp, and AU Optronics are among other companies licensed to manufacture the Retina. However, Sharp has recently been hit with yield problems, and AU has taken a beating in US courts for price fixing. AU's court woes probably won't affect yield, and LG has definitely earned its chops competing with Samsung in display manufacturing. But Samsung still has to be a major supplier of displays to Apple. And Apple is facing another problem. Within the next few weeks, Apple is said to be unveiling a new MacBook Pro with a Retina display. (There have been mixed reports about the arrival of the MacBook and the size and type of display.) Apple is also expected to launch the iPad Mini, which will probably sport a Retina. Where are all of these Retinas coming from? I'd wager a good number of them are coming from Samsung factories. If, as iSuppli reports, a four-inch Retina is valued at $44, seven- or eight-inch Retinas will cost more for the iPad mini, and 13-inch Retinas (for the MacBook Pro) will carry yet a higher price tag. Samsung can only be profiting from these sales. The Retina was developed and patented by Apple, so technically, Apple isn't using a competitor's display technology in its products. Apple is clearly secure in its patents as it is defending them against all corners. But severing ties with Samsung is eventually going to mean severing ties with Samsung's display factories, and Samsung is the 800-pound gorilla in the display world. Yes, it will be a blow to Samsung, and I'm not suggesting Apple do this. But if Apple has drawn a line in the sand, and it seems that it has, then displays will be the next move, and the costliest one at that. But it may cost Apple as well.