Apple's supply chain for processors shifting to TSMC from Samsung, TSMC holds job fair in N. Y.

台積電上周末在紐約州舉辦招募會、網羅半導體人才，分析師猜測台積電可能會在紐約州建新廠。
據美國科技部落格Apple Insider最新消息，台積電上周末在紐約州魚溪市（Fishkill, NY）舉辦人才招募說明會，業界猜測，台積電可能為了蘋果合作案，準備在紐約州建立晶圓廠。
魚 溪市離紐約曼哈頓不過一小時的車程，投顧公司Piper Jaffray分析師賈格狄許‧艾爾（Jagadish Iyer）對Apple Insider表示，IBM 20 奈米以下製程的先進晶片技術開發中心就位於台積電招募會附近，若台積電真在這裡建廠，將會是很好的地點選擇。
另外，艾爾分析，台積電選擇在紐約落腳，也多少和蘋果的合作業務相關。
目前，蘋果旗下iPhone、iPad、iPod touch到Apple TV所搭載的A系列晶片，全由設在美國德州奧斯汀的三星晶圓廠負責，但三星獨霸的情景，將逐漸淡化。
今年6月，據《華爾街日報》（The Wall Street Jorunal）報導，台積電與蘋果簽訂合約，將在2014年為新一代iPhone與iPad供應20奈米晶片，讓蘋果減少對三星的依賴。（更多報導請見「蘋果攜手台積電，與三星分手仍有難度」）
而在更早之前，業界也已揭露台積電在紐約州建晶圓廠的計劃。去年年底，紐約州官方人員宣稱正在爭取一項代號為「杜鵑花（Azelea）」的神秘專案，只透露這項計劃和蘋果供應商有關。現在分析師把各項線索兜在一起，茅頭都指向台積電。
艾爾認為，台積電在紐約州招募到的人才，最初可能會先回到台灣訓練，但這也不排除台積電在紐約建廠的可能性。
艾爾同時表示，蘋果可能資助台積電在美建廠，台積電也可能專為蘋果業務在紐約建立晶圓廠，由台積電負責日常的管理工作，而蘋果也能進一步掌控供應鍊。（史書華編譯）



【新聞來源】TSMC holds job fair in NY, fueling rumors of new US chip fab for Apple

By Neil Hughes

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. recently held a job fair in upstate New York, helping to drive up expectations that the chipmaker is planning to open a chip fabrication plant in the area to build mobile processors for Apple.
 
TSMC's recruitment was heavily centered around the Fishkill, N.Y., area, Jagadish Iyer of Piper Jaffray revealed in a note to investors provided to AppleInsider on Tuesday. He believes that's an ideal area, because IBM is at work in the area on advanced chip technology using sub-20-nanometer processes.

If TSMC is in fact looking to set up shop in the U.S., Iyer believes that a key reason for this move would be Apple. After years of rumors, Apple finally inked a deal with TSMC in June to begin building mobile chips in 2014, a move that could allow it to reduce reliance on rival Samsung.

"With Apple's supply chain for processors shifting to TSMC from Samsung, we believe Apple could better monitor its supply chain while de-risking itself," Iyer wrote. "Though press reports have surfaced recently on Apple trying to secure a wafer fab, our checks do indicate that Apple has been hiring a number of process technologists in chip manufacturing."

He believes Apple could provide financial assistance to TSMC for building a U.S.-based factory, and in return the chipmaker would have a line dedicated to Apple. This would give Apple the ability to actively monitor progress while leaving day-to-day management to the chip experts at TSMC.

Iyer's checks indicate the engineers hired initially from TSMC's job fair will likely start in Taiwan initially. But he sees the company's recruitment in the area as a sign that it is eyeing a newer facility in New York as a viable option.

"We saw a parallel when Global Foundries announced a major fab in Malta, New York and a sizable number of employees were stationed in Dresden before they moved back to Malta," Iyer wrote. "Further, with the state of N.Y. providing incentives to Global Foundries in its new fab, we are also likely to see some form of similar assistance to TSMC as its embarks on this endeavor."

Details were first revealed last December regarding "top secret" plans for a new chip factory in upstate New York. At the time, the state was said to be bidding on a mysterious project identified only as "Azalea," said to be tied to a major Apple supplier.

Currently, Apple's A-series chips for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV are built by Samsung in Austin, Tex. But Samsung is also Apple's chief rival, and fierce competition along with dozens of patent infringement lawsuits have driven a wedge between the two companies.