Apple getting its A7 chip from Samsung

Apple's A7 is the first 64-bit ARM processor to land in a smartphone.(Credit: CNET)


Apple has been getting its chips "fabbed" by Samsung for years. That hasn't changed with the A7.
Apple is getting its A7 processor from Samsung, as expected.

By "decapping" the A7, Chipworks has verified that the A7 is manufactured by Samsung.

"Internal shots revealed the A7 to be made by Samsung," said iFixit, which has been working hand in hand with Chipworks to tear down the iPhone 5S.

There had been some speculation that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) would make the chip, but that likely won't happen until Apple's A8, or whatever comes next.

The M7 co-processor is from NXP.

The M7 is a "sidekick" to the A7 chip, according to Apple. It's designed to measure motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass.