Re: TSMC @10nm?
Can't push out anything smaller than 28nm? You mean other than the ~150 million A8s they've made for Apple so far in 20nm? Everyone (except Intel, because they started at a higher price point than the foundries) is reporting that cost per transistor is slightly higher when they go below 28nm, so use of those nodes has been less than originally hoped for. But customers who have a little extra to spend for the improved power/performance like Apple, don't care about that.
Most likely the reason why Apple is rumored to be going back to Samsung for the A9 is that Samsung has their 14nm process ready which will further improve power/performance beyond 20nm. TSMC is skipping ahead to 10nm as their next main node because of the aforementioned cost issues, claiming that they've made some changes in that process to address those concerns and their 10nm node should result in lower $/transistor than previous nodes including 28nm. Of course, the $100+ million cost for a mask set at 10nm means that only pretty high volume or very cost insensitive chips will be produced in that node by anyone.
Rumor has it Apple will have the A10 made in 10nm, which probably indicates they're going back to TSMC, unless Samsung plans to have 10nm next year also or the long-fabled idea of Intel making Apple's SoCs finally happens.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
