DigiTimes

Apple will launch the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 several months after the 4.7-inch version to avoid competition between the two models, according to a new report from DigiTimes citing supply chain sources. The different timetables have been set as Apple does not want to repeat the mistake it made in 2013 when it launched the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c simultaneously, said the sources. Prior rumors have...

Samsung and GlobalFoundries have landed orders from Apple to produce the 14-nanometer A9 processor starting next year, reports DigiTimes. The 14nm chips will be rolled out of GlobalFoundries' Fab 8 factory in Malta, New York, which Samsung will also use to produce Apple's A-series chips. According to Samsung and Globalfoundries' roadmap, the two foundries plan to push their initial 14nm LPE...

In April, it was reported that Catcher Technology would be supplying Apple with metal casings for the iPhone 6. Now, China's Economic Daily News (via Digitimes) reports that Apple has rejected Catcher's iPhone 6 chassis, instead choosing to place short term orders with longtime supply partners Jabil and Foxconn. Apple reportedly had issues with defects found in the connecting areas between...

According to a new report from Digitimes, Foxconn will again be the primary manufacturer for the iPhone 6, supplying 70 percent of the expected shipments of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model in 2015. Shipments could begin as soon as July for the 4.7-inch model, with the 5.5-inch following shortly afterwards.The 4- and 4.7-inch iPhones will be the main sales force of Apple for 2014. Foxconn's plants in...

Three Apple suppliers have delivered samples of flexible circuit boards for the iWatch as the device is now expected to be unveiled in September, reports DigiTimes. Screen-centric iWatch concept by DesignerEI Flexible PCB suppliers Flexium Interconnect, Zhen Ding Technology Holding and Career Technology reportedly have delivered FPCB samples for use in iWatch devices to Apple for...

An alleged bill of materials for Apple's upcoming iWatch has surfaced, with supply chain sources indicating that the product will launch in the third quarter of this year, reports Taiwan's Economic Daily News [Google Translation] (via Digitimes). iWatch concept by Todd Hamilton, based on the Nike FuelBand The report claims that the iWatch itself will be manufactured by Apple supplier...

Apple is gearing up to release new MacBook models in 2014 including a MacBook Air with Retina Display, according to a new report from DigiTimes citing supply chain sources. The story notes that while some Taiwan-based supply chain makers are expecting MacBook shipments in 2014 to fall to 10 million units, others are projecting higher numbers with the belief that Apple's will refresh of its...

Apple has "shelved" its plans to produce a larger-sized tablet, according to a report from Digitimes. Nicknamed the "iPad Pro", the 12.9-inch tablet was rumored to be under development with a launch date possible early next year. Apple's alleged move comes as these larger tablets face hurdles because the form factors are not compatible with the existing ecosystems, forcing manufacturers to...

Apple will cease production of the 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro later this year in favor of its thinner Retina notebooks, according to a new report from DigiTimes. The 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro, which last saw an update in June 2012, has remained as Apple's only MacBook Pro without a high-resolution screen after the 15-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro was discontinued last year. Apple has...

As outlined in our feature highlighting Apple's possible product plans for 2014, a number of rumors have suggested Apple may be working on a 12.9-inch iPad model that could launch later this year. The company is allegedly accelerating development on this device in response to Samsung's introduction of two competing 12.2-inch tablet models, with market sources cited by Digitimes claiming that...

Apple's iPhone fingerprint sensor supplier TSMC is preparing to begin production on sensors for the iPhone 6 in the second quarter of this year, according to a report from Digitimes. The report claims that TSMC will be shifting to a larger 12-inch fab from the current 8-inch fab, a move that should increase production efficiency. TSMC will also handle the packaging process for the sensors itself...

While Apple's long-rumored "iWatch" may be one of the products to look for in 2014, several rumors have suggested that the device is unlikely to launch until the latter half of the year as the company works to address technical challenges. A new report from DigiTimes claims that one of those issues involves surface finish treatments for the body of the device, with both Apple and Qualcomm...

Samsung has signed a contract to produce 30% to 40% of Apple's 14-nm A9 chip family in 2015, with the remainder of the production load being handled by other Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), reports Digitimes. The news comes after a report back in July stating that Apple had signed a deal with Samsung to cooperate in producing A9 processors based on a...

As numerous potential customers have discovered, the Retina iPad mini has been in very short supply since its quiet launch earlier this month, with Apple reportedly struggling with display yields that have limited production. Several analysts had previously predicted that Retina iPad mini production would be limited to roughly two million units for the fourth quarter of 2013, but a new report...

Following a September report stating that Apple may be working with Quanta Computer to develop a larger-sized iPad, Digitimes is now reporting that the Taiwanese-based manufacturer has landed the contract to mass-produce the tablet for the second half of 2014. Just last week, a report had claimed that the larger iPad was being targeted for an early 2014 launch. Mockup of 12.9-inch iPad next ...

Foxconn will reportedly stop production of Apple's lower-cost iPhone 5C at its factory located in Zhengzhou, China, and will reportedly shift the facility's manufacturing efforts towards the iPhone 5s, reports Digitimes. The news follows a report last week stating that Apple has been steadily reducing its orders for the iPhone 5c with suppliers as customers continue to prefer the iPhone 5s....

Apple will use sapphire home buttons on the new iPad and iPad mini, expected to launch next month, according to a report from DigiTimes.Apple first adopted sapphire to make covers of iPhone 5 cameras and now the material is also used in making covers of iPhone 5S finger print-recognizing home keys, the sources noted. Apple in March 2013 filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office an...

Shipment volumes of the display panels used in Apple's new iPhone 5s are expected to reach 10-15 million units in the third quarter of 2013, according to industry sources cited by Digitimes. Primary Apple supplier Sharp is expected to produce 7 million units, with LG Display and Japan Display expected to pick up the rest of the orders for the recently announced device. In addition to Sharp, LG ...

Industry sources have told Taiwanese news outlet Digitimes that production of the upcoming iPhone 5S will be limited to 3-4 million units in Q3 2013 due to a shortage of the fingerprint scanners to be used in the phone. Specifically, the sources cite difficulties in interaction between the fingerprint scanners and Apple’s upcoming iOS 7 mobile platform. Production of Apple's next iPhone,...

In what has become something of a tradition ahead of Apple's product launches, Digitimes is reporting that the iPhone 5S may see constrained supplies at launch due to poor yields of certain components. In this case, the issues are said to be related to chips supporting fingerprint recognition and the device's LCD, according to industry sources.The fingerprint recognition chip is designed by...