Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) may land a higher portion of packaging orders for Apple's next-generation A8 processor than the 20% expected previously, according to industry sources.

　　An earlier report indicated that Amkor Technology and STATS ChipPAC had each obtained 40% of the total package-on-package (PoP) orders Apple placed for its A8 CPUs, with the remaining 20% left for ASE.

　　However, recent market rumors speculate that Apple may switch its policy and will place more orders with ASE, making the Taiwan-based company the number two backend service provider for A8 chips, trailing after Amkor but ahead of STATS ChipPAC, the sources noted.

　　Apple's orders have not been finalized, and will depend on when ASE can resume operations of its K7 plant, which was forced to suspend operations by the city government in Kaohsiung at the end of 2013 due to water pollution, the sources commented.

　　Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to begin volume production of Apple's A8 chips in the second quarter of 2014 with shipments to peak in the fourth quarter, said the sources.