iPhone 7 Release Date, Features & Rumors: iPhone 6s' A9 Processor By Samsung?

A report is stating that the A9 processor, which has been rumored power the upcoming iPhone 7 device, is now being produced by Apple's rival Samsung Electronics.

The International Business Times, citing Electronic Times' unidentified source, said that the A9 chips are already being produced at Samsung's facility in Austin, Texas since Thursday, December 11.

"Samsung Electronics began production of 'A9,' the application processor (AP) for Apple's next-generation smartphone. It applies the 14nm FinFET, the cutting-edge microprocess for system semiconductors, for the first time. SEC's foundry business picked up momentum again," Korean site Electronic Times said.

Its report added that although Samsung has a facility in Giheung, Korea, the electronics giant opted to use its Austin facility for the A9 production "because of the next-generation chip's problems with performance security and supply."

It also said that Samsung was originally scheduled to start the production by the end of this year. It, however, did not give details as to whether Apple ordered them to start the chips production earlier.

"The initiation of the A9 chip production enabled SEC to recover the foundry quantities from Apple, which have been discontinued for some time, and get the upper hand in the 14nm FinFET technology competition with TSMC, killing two birds with one stone," the report said.

The foundry business of Samsung experienced a major setback after Apple decided to stop ordering supplies from them. And now, it seems that Samsung is using these new A9 processors for them to be able to get back on track and recover from the sales loss it incurred in the previous quarters.

Samsung's semiconductor business president and System LSI business head Kim Ki-nam was quoted in a ZDNET report saying that the company's profits would probably "improve positively" with the production of the new chips, which are expected to be offered to Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD.

IBT noted that the previous chips, A8 processors, which were used in the recently released iPhone 6, were mainly produced by a different company -- Taiwanese firm TSMC -- and that some portion were only from Samsung.

According to Stabley Times, the alleged iPhone 7 is rumored to be launched next year together with the iPhone 6S. The two new iPhones -- iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 -- are believed to be released in Spring and in September respectively, although some rumored dates are contradicting. Stabley Times even speculated that the new iPhone 6S might be released together with the new Apple Watch.

A concept image for the new iPhone was earlier created by Deviantart designer Xerix93. Xerix93 designed the new iPhone with aluminum unibody and mono-crystalline diamond. Check out the full concept image here.

The image reveals that the device might measure 4.7 inches in size. It also suggests that it might get a 1920x1080 resolution with Retina HD display.The new device is also seen to get the new iOS 9. It added that the device may likely be available in several colors -- silver, space grey, black, and gold.