Samsung Reportedly Hits Apple with 20% Price Increase for iOS Device Chips
MarketWatch reports on an article from Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo claiming that Samsung has hit Apple with a 20% price increase on the A-series chips used to power Apple's iOS devices.
"Samsung Electronics recently asked Apple for a significant price raise in (the mobile processor known as) application processor," the person was quoted as saying in the report. "Apple first disapproved it, but finding no replacement supplier, it accepted the (increase.)"
The two firms have started to reflect the new supply price recently, the report added, citing the same person.
While Apple's latest A6 and A6X chips are custom designs from the company's in-house chip team, Samsung continues to serve as the foundry for manufacturing the chips used throughout Apple's iOS device lineup.
A bill of materials estimate for the iPhone 5 pegged the cost of the A6 chip at approximately $17.50, meaning that a 20% increase in price would translate to roughly $3.50 in increased costs per unit for Apple.
Apple has been reported several times in recent years to be attempting to move chip production to TSMC, but so far the company has been unwilling or unable to make the switch. TSMC's upcoming 20-nanometer process targeted for mass production in late 2013 could, however, serve as a catalyst for a move.
Popular Stories
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
