Even TSMC Chairman Takes the MRT

choi

(1) Even TSMC Chairman Takes the MRT. AsiaOne, Oct 11, 2012.
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Moto ... 0121011-376936.html

(2) Ken Liu, TSMC Seen to be Sole 20nm Process Supplier to Apple Quad Processors. Taiwan Economic News (CENS), Oct 12, 2012.
http://cens.com/cens/html/en/news/news_inner_41728.html
("Citigroup Global Markets’ market research fellow, JT Hsu, pointed out that Apple began verifying TSMC’s 20nm process in August this year and may begin risk production in November with the process. Volume production is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2013")

My comment: This is considered yet another rumor in the same vein.

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Thursday, Oct 11, 2012
AsiaOne   
Even TSMC Chairman takes the MRT  

Morris Chang, chairman and CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), was reportedly photographed taking the train in Taiwan, giving up a ride in his luxury car.

It is believed that the businessman had taken the train to ensure he would not be delayed by traffic. He was en route to a TSMC shareholder meeting in Taipei, reported Chinese website ChinaSMACK.com.

When the photo first surfaced on Facebook, it reportedly took netizens by surprise and spread rapidly online.

However, the authenticity of the photo was called into question when skeptical netizens believed it had been photoshopped or that the man in the picture was someone who resembled Chang.

A netizen apparently took the liberty to compare the photo of Chang on the train with other photos of him and found that a magazine had featured Chang on its cover page in March. The tie he was wearing was same as the one in the most recent photo that was published in the magazine.
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TSMC Seen to be Sole 20nm Process Supplier to Apple Quad Processors
2012/10/12

Taipei, Oct. 12, 2012 (CENS)--Citigroup Global Markets Inc. estimated Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to be the only supplier of 20nm process to Apple quad-core processors over the next one to two years, citing the company’s unmatched technological advance on 20nm process and Apple’s decision to adopt 20nm quad-core processors in its new products.

Citigroup Global Markets’ market research fellow, J.T. Hsu, pointed out that Apple began verifying TSMC’s 20nm process in August this year and may begin risk production in November with the process. Volume production is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2013, raising the possibility that TSMC will hike capital expenditure to US$11-12 billion in 2013 and 2014.

Hsu estimated Apple to design quad-core processors into iPad, iTV and even Macbook. iPhones will be still powered by duo-core processors to highlight its low power consumption merit.

He pointed out that Apple began developing quad-core processors in 2010, when it acquired fabless chip company Intrincity. Until the acquisition, Intrincity had announced multi-core processors.

Apple’s contracts have been widely criticized for low margin to contract suppliers, likely the reason why TSMC has been reluctant to compete for Apple contracts. But Hsu thinks otherwise, estimating Apple’s quad-core chip, cost at around US$15, could be 10% cheaper once it is made by Taiwan’s supply chains involving TSMC, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE), and Kinsus Interconnect Technology Corp.,

Hsu ascribed Samsung’s higher cost in the production of Apple processors mostly to the company’s inefficiency.
(by Ken Liu)