苹果三星交恶，英特尔想分一杯羹

苹果公司与三星电子曾经关系紧密。现在这两家公司正在分道扬镳——这可能会对三星的销售造成打击。

Piper Jaffray&Co.公司估计苹果公司的订单占2010年三星半导体营收的17%。苹果公司向三星订购了海量的DRAM、NAND闪存以及其它元器件，并且三星还承接了苹果设计的A4与A5处理器的晶圆代工业务。

但最近一段时间，苹果公司与三星在个人电脑、手机与平板电脑市场成为劲敌。

虽然目前三星电子的晶圆厂依然在为苹果公司设计的A4和A5处理器代工，不过有报道称这种关系很快就会发生改变，苹果公司与台积电可能已经就A5处理器以及后续的晶圆代工业务达成协议。

另外，苹果公司近期提交了针对三星电子的专利侵权诉讼，宣称三星在自己的智能手机和多媒体平板产品中抄袭了iPhone和iPad的外观和风格。

“我们相信近期苹果公司与三星的专利诉讼可以进一步支持苹果正在将半导体业务转向别家的观点。”Piper Jaffray & Co.公司分析师Gus Richard在一份报告中写道。

“有明确证据显示苹果公司正在将半导体业务转离三星。在存储器方面，苹果公司已经与Elpida、东芝和美光进一步合作。”Richard表示，“尽管苹果公司需要几年时间才能换掉晶圆代工伙伴，但我们相信苹果公司正在逐渐远离三星。我们相信台积电将从今年四季度开始获得来自苹果公司的营收。”

苹果公司的这一举动可能会对突破三星的底线。三星不久前宣布公司一季度合并销售额为369900亿韩币（折合346亿美元），同比增长7%。一季度三星合并净利润为27800亿韩币（折合26亿美元），同比缩水30%，部分原因是DRAM价格下跌的影响。

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根据Richard的分析，另一家公司也在追逐苹果公司的晶圆代工业务——英特尔。他在报告中表示：“我们根据一些信息判断英特尔也在争取苹果公司的晶圆代工业务。”

英特尔已经在为苹果公司的个人电脑产品线提供x86处理器。现在英特尔也将涉足晶圆代工业务，并且已于近日与Achronix半导体公司达成一笔交易。

“这符合两家公司的战略利益，苹果公司在智能手机与平板市场不断增长的需求和市场份额为英特尔提供了进入的机会，也为英特尔提供了在生产方面保持领先的产量。”

“英特尔在晶圆加工方面的领先地位则会为苹果公司在这些市场带来进一步的竞争优势，并让苹果公司得以和那些抄袭（knocking off）自己产品的亚洲厂商拉开距离。”Richard说，“此外还可以打击两家公司共同的竞争对手三星。”

至少在现阶段，三星依然会是苹果公司的主要晶圆代工伙伴。“尽管苹果公司需要几年时间才能换掉晶圆代工伙伴。”Richard补充说。

“为支持自己最大的客户苹果公司，三星在德州奥斯丁的晶圆厂现在产能已经达到每月3-4万片。如果按照裸片面积计算，苹果公司仅A5处理器每个月大约需要2.3万片晶圆。我们认为苹果公司逐渐转移晶圆加工业务就是导致三星最近削减设备订单的原因，三星可能将这些富余产能用于内存生产。”

三星和台积电都有足够的产能支持苹果公司。接下来的问题很清晰：英特尔是否具备这种产能？

芯片厂商追逐苹果公司的理由很充分。“苹果公司是目前全球半导体领域最大的客户。我们估计苹果公司今年的半导体需求约为200亿美元。”Richard表示，“这占据着全球半导体需求量的6%。此外苹果大约70%（140亿美元）的芯片需求是NAND闪存、DRAM和前沿的逻辑电路。苹果产品的芯片需求需要两到三个大型晶圆厂才能满足。”

点击参考原文：Apple-Samsung friendship turns sour

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1.

Apple-Samsung friendship turns sour

Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. were once close friends. Now, the two companies are having a falling out-a move that could take a bite out of Samsung's sales.

Piper Jaffray & Co. estimates that Apple was 17 percent of Samsung's semiconductor revenue in 2010. Apple buys a staggering amount of DRAM, NAND flash and other components from Samsung. And Samsung is making the Apple-designed A4 and A5 processors on a foundry basis for Apple.

In more recent times, however, Apple and Samsung have become fierce rivals in the PC, mobile phone and tablet PC markets.

''We believe the recent patent lawsuit between the two companies is further evidence to support our belief that Apple is moving its silicon needs elsewhere,'' said Gus Richard, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Co., in a new report.

As reported, Apple recently filed a patent infringement suit against South Korea's Samsung Electronics, claiming that Samsung copied the look and feel of its iPhones and iPads with its own smartphone and media tablet offerings, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

''There is clear evidence Apple is starting to shift away from Samsung. We believe that, on the memory front, Apple has stepped up efforts to work with Elpida, Toshiba and Micron,'' he said. ''In addition, while it will take a few years for Apple to shift foundry suppliers, we believe Apple is shifting away from Samsung. We believe TSMC will start getting revenue from Apple in Q4 of this year.''

Now, according to the analyst, another player is pursuing Apple's foundry business: Intel Corp.

This in turn could impact Samsung's bottom line. Samsung recently announced sales of 36.99 trillion won ($34.6 billion) on a consolidated basis for the first quarter, a 7 percent increase year-on-year. For the quarter, the company posted consolidated net income of 2.78 trillion won ($2.6 billion), a 30 percent drop year-on-year, due in part to a drop in DRAMs.

Chip makers are chasing after Apple and for good reason. ''Apple is the largest customer for semiconductors in the world. We estimate that Apple will account for roughly $20 billion of semiconductor demand this year,'' Richard said. ''This represents 6 percent of overall semiconductor demand. In addition, roughly 70% of Apple's chip demand or $14 billion is NAND flash, DRAM and leading edge logic. Apple's chip demand represents roughly two to three large fabs.''

2.

Intel vying for Apple foundry business

Mark LaPedus

At present, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is making the Apple-designed A4 and A5 processors on a foundry basis for Apple Inc.

That could soon change. As reported, Apple and TSMC have entered into a foundry relationship for the A5 and follow-on chips, sources said.

Now, according to an analyst, another player is pursuing Apple's foundry business: Intel Corp. Intel is already supplying x86-based processors for Apple's PC line. Intel is also dabbling in the foundry business and has recently struck a deal with Achronix Semiconductor Corp.

''Based on a number of inputs, we believe Intel is also vying for Apple's foundry business,'' said Gus Richard, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Co., in a new report.

''It makes strategic sense for both companies. The combination of Apple's growing demand and market share in smart phones and tablets gives Intel a position in these markets and drives the logic volume Intel needs to stay ahead in manufacturing,'' Richard said.

''Intel's manufacturing lead gives Apple an additional competitive advantage in these markets and distances it from Asian competitors that are knocking off its products,'' he said. ''Furthermore, it would also serve to weaken Samsung who is a significant competitive threat to both companies.''

Samsung will remain Apple's main foundry-at least for now. ''While it will take a few years for Apple to shift foundry suppliers, we believe Apple is shifting away from Samsung,'' he said. ''We believe TSMC will start getting revenue from Apple in Q4 of this year. We believe the recent patent lawsuit between the two companies is further evidence to support our belief that Apple is moving its silicon needs elsewhere.''

Samsung and TSMC each have the fab capacity to support Apple. The question is clear: Does Intel have the capacity?

''Samsung has just completed a 30K-40K wafer start per month logic plant in Austin Texas to support its foundry business of which Apple is its largest customer,'' he said. ''Based on the die size of Apple's A5 processor, Apple needs roughly 23K wafers a month for the A5. We believe that Apple moving its foundry business away from Samsung is what has recently driven Samsung to reduce equipment orders, as it will likely repurpose this capacity for memory.''