Samsung is expected to start producing application processors (APs) for clients such as Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD, using its 14-nanometre process around the end of the year.

Samsung Electronics will supply 14nm A9 chips that will be used for Apple's iPhone 7.

For 30 years Altera has used the same, sole-sourced foundry - TSMC. Recently it announced it would be going to Intel for sole-sourced foundry at the 14nm generation. Isn't this a risk?

The new plant will take approximately two years to build, and it will create 3,500 construction jobs, as well as 800 full-time jobs inside the plant once its complete.

Earlier this year, Intel chief executive Paul Otellini announced the Leixlip factory was one of three selected to produce its next generation 14 nanometer microchips, known within the group as the "1272 process".

The Intel wafer fab complex in Leixlip, Ireland, is set to receive investment to allow it to manufacture 14nm silicon and beyond, the company revealed in a presentation to analysts on May 10. The investment is expected to be more than US$1 billion.

Globalfoundries CEO Ajit Manocha has praised his firm for what he called a "remarkable quarter" in Q411, and promised that the foundry was on track to "keep the momentum going," after a year plagued with difficulties and setbacks.

ASM International (ASMI) has announced the successful demonstration of a new 14nm high-k gate dielectric process that achieved less than six angstroms equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) at a customer's 14nm R&D line, an improvement of about 40% from the current advanced nodes.

In the latest look down its road map, Globalfoundries claims it is shipping thousands of 32nm wafers a week, gearing up multiple 28nm offerings for 2012 and planning first customer tape outs using a planar 20nm process at the end of next year.

The agreement extends access for ARM to assure early time-to-market readiness of the necessary platform of physical and processor IP solutions for nodes ranging from 20nm through 14nm.