Samsung dedicates 200 employees to display team focused solely on Apple products
A report on Wednesday reveals Samsung recently formed an internal team to make displays expressly for Apple, highlighting the curious position the Korean tech giant currently finds itself as supplier to one of its most bitter rivals.
Sources claim Samsung dedicated around 200 employees to a specialized unit created specifically to serve Apple's iPad and MacBook display needs, a move meant to foster stronger ties with the Cupertino tech company, reports Bloomberg. The unit was supposedly created on April 1, the same day Samsung split its display arm into two units handling LCD and OLED technology.
According to people familiar with matter, Samsung employees working on the special team also help develop display technologies for Apple and are thus not allowed to share product information with colleagues outside the group. Affording this level of secrecy to a single client can hardly be considered business as usual, but makes sense for a company like Apple, which so highly values discretion.
Samsung's initiative is similar to an LG program that also fields a display unit largely dedicated to Apple devices.
It appears Samsung is looking to regain standing with Apple after a high profile falling out led to a worldwide court battle over smartphone patents. In August of 2014, both parties agreed to settle all non-U.S. litigation, leaving two California cases currently under appeal.
In addition to a dedicated display team, Samsung is heavily rumored to be the manufacturer of Apple's next-generation A9 system-on-chip processor that will power future iPhones and iPads. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest chip maker, produces current A8 SoC variants, but Samsung's ability to scale its advanced 14-nanometer fabrication process reportedly netted it the contract for 2015.
Sources claim Samsung dedicated around 200 employees to a specialized unit created specifically to serve Apple's iPad and MacBook display needs, a move meant to foster stronger ties with the Cupertino tech company, reports Bloomberg. The unit was supposedly created on April 1, the same day Samsung split its display arm into two units handling LCD and OLED technology.
According to people familiar with matter, Samsung employees working on the special team also help develop display technologies for Apple and are thus not allowed to share product information with colleagues outside the group. Affording this level of secrecy to a single client can hardly be considered business as usual, but makes sense for a company like Apple, which so highly values discretion.
Samsung's initiative is similar to an LG program that also fields a display unit largely dedicated to Apple devices.
It appears Samsung is looking to regain standing with Apple after a high profile falling out led to a worldwide court battle over smartphone patents. In August of 2014, both parties agreed to settle all non-U.S. litigation, leaving two California cases currently under appeal.
In addition to a dedicated display team, Samsung is heavily rumored to be the manufacturer of Apple's next-generation A9 system-on-chip processor that will power future iPhones and iPads. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest chip maker, produces current A8 SoC variants, but Samsung's ability to scale its advanced 14-nanometer fabrication process reportedly netted it the contract for 2015.
Comments
Tim should do a Steve on this and put many people from Apple on fabbing their own chips and displays. Buy Sharp and LG display? Poach employees away? Poach employees away from Samsung display? Anything to kill this soulless copy cat company. There needs to real consequences here.
Is Apple dancing with the enemy, to their long term disadvantage? The have more sense... don't they?
While reading the Bloomberg report, I sensed it was another "boost Samsung's image" at a time Apple's image is shining brighter.
It was rumored Samsung's will reach the 10 million shipment mark for the S6 in two months, which will be faster than the S5, but is much slower than iPhone 6 reaching the coveted mark since Apple reached it in a weekend!
The Apple Watch is being estimated to have sold nearly one million on Friday, which surpasses all Android Wear watches sold for 2014!
The numbers for Apple are eclipsing the numbers for Samsung. The numbers cannot be spun to make things look great for Samsung and pitiful for Apple. So, the press turns to manufacturing to aide Samsung.
I an looking forward to reading TSMC is the real winner of the A9 later this year then reading that Samsung won the A10 in 2016. Thankfully, AI has smartened up slightly to write "rumored" this time around.
This Bloomberg report is a continuation of a report out of Korea last month that mentioned a new dedicated display team being created at Samsung.
Because Samsung split it's display unit into two to show on surface that both units are independent and not share info. That's is myth. Can't trust. Information from so called Apple focus unit will pass to other unit to make sure the other(Samsung's own product) unit stays ahead of Apple's unit in display technology. Apple should work with Sony or Sharp or even LG than Samsung who is their biggest competitor in the same product category. This is not win-win but in long term for Apple loose, Samsung win proposal. If history is any guide, Samsung is not friend or fr-enemy but just a enemy in phone/gadget marketplace.
While reading the Bloomberg report, I sensed it was another "boost Samsung's image" at a time Apple's image is shining brighter.
It was rumored Samsung's will reach the 10 million shipment mark for the S6 in two months, which will be faster than the S5, but is much slower than iPhone 6 reaching the coveted mark since Apple reached it in a weekend!
The Apple Watch is being estimated to have sold nearly one million on Friday, which surpasses all Android Wear watches sold for 2014!
The numbers for Apple are eclipsing the numbers for Samsung. The numbers cannot be spun to make things look great for Samsung and pitiful for Apple. So, the press turns to manufacturing to aide Samsung.
I an looking forward to reading TSMC is the real winner of the A9 later this year then reading that Samsung won the A10 in 2016. Thankfully, AI has smartened up slightly to write "rumored" this time around.
This Bloomberg report is a continuation of a report out of Korea last month that mentioned a new dedicated display team being created at Samsung.
Korea Times is reporting Samsung have initial orders for 20M combined for the two S6 models. Looks like Samsung have an Apple-like problem of not being able to manufacture them fast enough to meet demand at the moment.
Good luck with your TSMC wish because it isn't going to happen.
Samsung the Supplier is not the same as Samsung the Smartphone Maker.
There is no "enemy" in this relationship.
Samsung has a new phone? Who new.
The truth finally comes out. Cnocbui is a Samsung troll.
20 million is intial order to the resalers, not consumers. Samsung will take a month to sell 10 million phones. Apple did that in 3 days.
And if Samsung S6 sales are so spectacular how come we have no heard anything annoucements from Samsung about opening weekend sales? All we hear are annoymous 'ghost reports' that claim they sold a ton of phones. LOL.
Define a Samsung Troll. I have a Samsung phone and a Samsung external USB HD. There are 2 iMacs, 3 Apple Laptops, 3 iPods, an iPhone and an airport express in the house. Oh, and a dysfunctional Apple SE in the loft.
I think Apple is winning slightly.
So Samsung are providing all these phones to carriers around the world and only get paid when the carriers sell them? Samsung have made an announcement, but they haven't provided any numbers. If you had bothered to follow the link you would have seen both the official quote and the attributed source for the actual numbers.
It wouldn't matter what official figures Samsung provided or were provided by other parties, they will never be accepted here. The real test will be Samsung's earnings. If the reports that no one believes are in fact correct, Samsung's earnings should see an improvement.
Don't forget the time Samsung announced 9 million per-orders for the GS3, then announced 10 million sales in under 2 months (55 days). So I gues it took 54 days to sell the other 1 million after the first 9 million were pre-orders?
This idiot doesn't understand the difference between customers purchasing a device and retailers placing stock orders. Obviously that 9 million was stock purchases which were spread out over 55 days of actual customer sales. But it sure looks good to announce 9 million pre-orders.
For reference the GS4 hit 10 million in 1 month (Samsungs most successful ever). With the GS5 and Note 4 Samsung STOPPED reporting these sales milestones for the FIRST time in history of making these devices. If Samsung announces ACTUAL sales for the GS6 then we'll know it's a successful launch. If not, then we can assume it's less than 10 million first month.
sog35, you beat me to it! Thanks!!
Cnocbui also provided a link to an article dated 2015-03-09 that was written in Barcelona, Spain at MWC. As Samsung was announcing the S6/Edge phones to the world, the following was also announced...
"Samsung received some 20 million pre-orders for the S6 and s6 Edge _ 15 million of S6 and five million of the S6 Edge from mobile carriers, worldwide. This is a record,"
a top executive at a leading mobile carrier in Europe told the Korea Times last week at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in Barcelona."
On 2015-04-13 The Korea Times had double-speak in the same article. "Samsung is expected to breach the 10 million sales mark just 26 days after their global launch on April 10, faster than previous models, sources said." This number is on top of the 20 million pre-ordered phones! So, when will the 20 million pre-orders be fulfilled IF the 10 million sold phones were NOT a part of the 20 million? Yikes!
Mistake admission, I wrote two months instead of 26 days in my initial comment as was published by Bloomberg and The Korea Times. I can only attribute the mistake to 10 million actual sales to customers will take two months, in my opinion[B/]. ????
As for the A9, I am sticking with my disbelief Samsung won until I am proven wrong. Nothing being published has made me feel I will be proven wrong. The reason is Samsung cannot manufacture enough quality 14nm APs for itself, how will it ever be able to manufacture enough quality 14nm APs for itself AND Apple? TSMC's 16nm manufacturing process will be the winner. Time will tell if I am right.. Or wrong.
Samsung fibbed for multiple quarters how well it's phones were selling until it could not fib anymore. Web sites around the world proclaimed Samsung's supremacy over Apple nonstop. Samsung HAD to tell the world that it had been stuffing the channel with phones that were not selling. Then and only then did the Web sites stop the proclamation. So, step off the pedestal pal. We will not know the truth until Samsung HAS to tell it.
Korea Times is reporting Samsung have initial orders for 20M combined for the two S6 models. Looks like Samsung have an Apple-like problem of not being able to manufacture them fast enough to meet demand at the moment.
Good luck with your TSMC wish because it isn't going to happen.
TMC is independent processor fab for many companies and has no interest to know the design or schedule behind Apple's processor vs anyone than fab the processor and get fee. Hope TMC can keep up or stay ahead of Samsung in 14nm or lower nanometer fab tech so Apple has no reason to go with Samsung and let Samsung see Apple's design traits or future schedule and than improve on their own processor and than compete with Apple in smartphone business. I wish intel which has excellent fab tech was fab partner for Apple who we know is not in the business to make/sell/use ARM processor. Why take risk with Samsung ?
Again proving your Samsung Troll. GTFO. Apple is making 85% of the phone/tablet profits. Winning slightly? More like devestating the competition.
LOL - he actually meant they are winning in his house. And the "slighty" seemed sarcastic.
Just FYI
Again show me an official number of phones sold by Samsung.
He can't. Samsung USED to provide these numbers, but they stopped after the dismal failure that was the GS5 and Note 4.