A woman looks at the screen of her mobile phone in front of an Apple logo outside its store in downtown Shanghai September 10, 2013.
A woman looks at the screen of her mobile phone in front of an Apple logo outside its store in downtown Shanghai September 10, 2013. Reuters

Apple's follow up to its current flagship is likely the iPhone 6S that in turn would be replaced by the iPhone 7, which is scheduled for a possible release date in the third quarter of 2016.

This scenario was suggested in a new report by The Korea Times, indicating that beginning in 2016 Samsung will become the biggest supplier of application processors that will power up future models of Apple's iPhones and iPads.

"Apple has designated Samsung as the primary supplier of its next A-series chips powering iOS devices from 2016," the Korean publication quoted its unnamed source as saying.

In cornering some 80 per cent of Apple's AP requirements in 2016, Samsung stands to earn billions of dollars in revenue, the report said, adding that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to pick up the remaining A9 supply contract from the iPhone maker.

14-nanometre chip

It appeared too that Apple favoured Samsung over TSMC due largely to the South Korean tech giant's 14-nanometer FinFET processing technology, described in the report as "better technology in terms of efficiency and energy consumption."

TSMC is reportedly producing its brand of A9 chips employing 16-nanometer FinFET processing technology.

Another big Samsung edge is the company's supposed collaboration with GlobalFoundries (GF) that not only will accelerate mass production of the A9 chip but will also lower production cost that Apple will incur.

Early start, on-time delivery

Apple's reinvigorated partnership with Samsung is also viewed to fit with the former's production and release date calendars for the iPhone 7 in 2016.

According to The Korea Times, volume production of wafers for the A9 chips is slated to start anytime between late 2015 and early 2016, which is line with the expected iPhone 7 and iPad rollouts in the second half of 2016.

Next iPhone rumours

The Korea Times report came out as rumours about the next iPhone started surfacing. The latest is the iPhone 7 concept that artist Martin Hajek has provided to Business Insider.

The highlight of the Hajek render is an all-screen iPhone 7 that virtually eliminates screen bezels, providing for a larger display real estate while keeping the device footprint relatively small at a maximum 5-inch profile.

The visualization obviously applies to the regular iPhone model, its current screen stretches to 4.7-inch diagonally.

Going by the immediate past release date templates of Apple, the iPhone 7 on A9 application processor should be ready to hit store shelves beginning in September of 2016.