A report from DigiTimes claims that Samsung has received orders from Apple for chips made using its new 14nm process, with volume production set to ramp up in the course of next year.

The Samsung Electronics and Globalfoundries team reportedly has landed orders for its 14nm FinFET process from Qualcomm and Apple, with related foundry services to begin in early 2015, according to industry sources in Taiwan …

Samsung has previously partnered with GlobalFoundries for over-flow capacity for either its own chips or Apple chips as needed.

Apple’s 14nm orders are likely to be for the A9 chip expected to be used in next year’s iPhones and iPads. It doesn’t, however, mean that Samsung will produce all of these chips: Intel has been named as a potential supplier for part of the production, and Taiwan’s TSMC is also likely to bid.

It’s worth noting that DigiTimes’ track-record on A-series chip production isn’t exactly stellar: it has consistently claimed over many years that TSMC will be taking over A-series chip production from Samsung – and as of the A7, this hasn’t happened.

We’ll have to wait for analysis of the A8 chip in the iPhone 6 to find out whether this has changed. In the meantime, though, suggesting that Samsung has already received at least some orders for the A9 would be unsurprising.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: