Mysterious 'Project Azalea' believed to be codename for Apple's US-based chip production partner
New York, California, Texas and Oregon are all said to be competing to become home to a major semiconductor manufacturer said to have ties with Apple and production of chips for devices like the iPhone and iPad.
The latest details on the project were published this week by The Oregonian, which was able to confirm that the state's economic development agency has been recruiting an unnamed company that is identified only as "Azalea." Further details on the project are unknown, as officials have signed a nondisclosure agreement.
But officials in New York have also reportedly been pursuing their own "Project Azalea," suggesting the two states are competing for the mystery project. Last week, it was revealed that New York state economic development officials have been pitched plans for a 3.2-million-square-foot chip manufacturing factory believed to be for producing components for Apple's iPhone and iPad.
Also believed to be in the running for "Project Azalea" are California and Texas. Those two states have been considered by consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for the company behind Azalea, according to EE Times.
Numerous reports have now pegged Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. as the likely company behind Project Azalea. TSMC has been rumored to take over mobile chip production for Apple's iPhone and iPad, pushing out the company's current supplier, Samsung.
Samsung now builds Apple's custom processors, like the A6 found in the iPhone 5 and A6X that powers the fourth-generation iPad, at a chip manufacturing plant in Austin, Tex. But Samsung is also Apple's chief rival, and fierce competition?along with dozens of patent infringement lawsuits have driven a wedge between the two companies.
The prospect of Apple chips being produced in Oregon is also noteworthy because Apple is already committed to the state with a data center in Prineville. Construction on one of the center's two massive 338,000-square-foot buildings began in October.
The latest details on the project were published this week by The Oregonian, which was able to confirm that the state's economic development agency has been recruiting an unnamed company that is identified only as "Azalea." Further details on the project are unknown, as officials have signed a nondisclosure agreement.
But officials in New York have also reportedly been pursuing their own "Project Azalea," suggesting the two states are competing for the mystery project. Last week, it was revealed that New York state economic development officials have been pitched plans for a 3.2-million-square-foot chip manufacturing factory believed to be for producing components for Apple's iPhone and iPad.
Also believed to be in the running for "Project Azalea" are California and Texas. Those two states have been considered by consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for the company behind Azalea, according to EE Times.
Numerous reports have now pegged Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. as the likely company behind Project Azalea. TSMC has been rumored to take over mobile chip production for Apple's iPhone and iPad, pushing out the company's current supplier, Samsung.
Samsung now builds Apple's custom processors, like the A6 found in the iPhone 5 and A6X that powers the fourth-generation iPad, at a chip manufacturing plant in Austin, Tex. But Samsung is also Apple's chief rival, and fierce competition?along with dozens of patent infringement lawsuits have driven a wedge between the two companies.
The prospect of Apple chips being produced in Oregon is also noteworthy because Apple is already committed to the state with a data center in Prineville. Construction on one of the center's two massive 338,000-square-foot buildings began in October.
Comments
Adios Samsung... Hello TSMC USA.
Will Apple also make it's own x86 compatible processors?
http://www.zdnet.com/apple-hires-samsung-amd-chip-veteran-7000005676/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407471,00.asp
Time will tell.
My grandmother grew azaleas for nearly 40 years at her home in Opelika, AL...which is the neighboring town to Auburn where Tim Cook went to college. The flowers are quite popular in that part of the country.
Interesting...
Sigh...my Cadence stock could do with an Apple boost.
Originally Posted by CarlosJk
What if AAPL purchase AMD?
It'd be a waste, unless they were planning to just use the machines for manufacturing non-AMD chips.
[VIDEO]
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlosJk
What if AAPL purchase AMD?
Not a good fit.
AMD has too much extraneous stuff that Apple does not need and AMD does not do ARM.
That is interesting. It also strikes me as an Apple-ish code name.
I liked the part about sending a bouquet of azaleas in a black vase as a sign that the recipient is marked for death. What's the Mafia's word for that, by the way? Anybody know?
Ii's also interesting that none of the usual suspects have commented on this story, which is very big news. This is the kind of thing that Apple is going to be spending its "obscene" billions on: transforming industrial bases around the world. They are going into U.S. display production as well, with Foxconn's and Sharp's help. Just watch. Has to happen.
No. No, it's not.