Digitimes' deep throats have told them that Samsung is offering HiSilicon Technologies lower prices for its 14nm FinFET production.  It is all part of a cunning plan to get mobile chip orders from the China-based fabless vendor.

It is likely to spark a price war because HiSilicon is already among TSMC's major clients, having placed 16nm chip orders at the Taiwan-based foundry. TSMC will be honour bound to offer a lower price if it wants to keep HiSilicon.  So far it has not commented about the news.

Samsung has  attracted 14nm chip orders from other TSMC customers including Apple and Qualcomm by dropping its prices.  Qualcomm relies on TSMC to manufacture most of its Snapdragon processors, while Apple has TSMC make the majority of A8 chips found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

All up it can only get messier, which is good news for the consumer and less so for the chip makers.