TSMC has confrmed that the company is ready to move its integrated fan-out (InFO) wafer-level packaging technology to volume production in the second quarter of 2016, aiming at more orders for Apple's A10 SoC.
TSMC already has a complete InFO portfolio aimed at different package sizes and applications.
In a quarterly earnings conference call with investors on Thursday last week, TSMC co-chief executive officer C.C. Wei said the company has almost completed equipment installation at a facility in Taoyuan’s Longtan District in preparation for InFO volume production.
"We expect to complete customer product qualification shortly and will be ready for volume production this quarter," Wei said at the conference.
In addition to high-volume preparation and product qualification, TSMC is "working on yield improvement and cost reduction," Wei added.
"InFO will be a powerful technology to catch growth opportunity in both mobile and IoT [Internet of Things] markets," he said.
Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone 7 phone in the second half of this year, which analysts think is likely to drive TSMC’s business.
The integrated fan-out (InFO) packaging could help TSMC beat rival Samsung Electronic in winning more A10 application processor orders from Apple, because the technology has the advantage of lower costs, higher speed and thinner form, compared with conventional flip chip packaging.
Apple is expected to split orders for the A10 processors to TSMC and Samsung, but this time the Taiwanese chipmaker could claim a lead against its South Korean rival.
Other smartphone chip vendors are likely to follow suit in adopting InFO packaging along with TSMC’s 16 nanometer technology. |