Apple iPhone 6s: Samsung To Supply Next-Gen iPhone’s A9 Chip, Report Says

Samsung could be the main supplier of Apple’s new “A9” processor, which is expected to power the next-generation iPhone, dubbed the “iPhone 6s,” according to a new report.

The South Korean technology giant is said to be responsible for about 75 percent of the A9 chip’s production for the 2015 model of the Apple iPhone, Reuters reported, citing Maeil Business Newspaper, a South Korean publication. The newspaper did not say how much the contract is worth or who else would be involved in the production of the new processor for the iPhone 6s, but noted that the chip will be produced at Samsung’s factory in Austin, Texas.

Although the Maeil report did not mention other suppliers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to be part of the A9 supply chain, Apple Insider reported, adding that TSMC was the manufacturer of the A8 chip found on the latest iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Before the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung was responsible for producing all A-series chips for Apple.

In addition to the new iPhone, the upcoming A9 chip is also rumored to power the next-generation iPad Air and iPad mini, MacRumors reported, adding that Apple could also launch a bigger iPad, dubbed the “iPad Pro,” which is rumored to be powered by an A8X processor.

Although very little is known about the next iPhone model, which is expected to release later this year, recent rumors have suggested that the device could feature a “dual-lens” camera module, improving the camera’s low-light performance.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber had also said in November that Apple, which has long used a single lens with a five-element design on its cameras, was working on a “weird two-lens system” for a future iPhone.