Who and where parts of the iPhone doesn't always come to light. When it does, the information makes for interesting reading, regardless of the model phone you own.

The love is spread rather widely for the development and manufacture of the next batch of iPhones. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and two of its subsidiaries, one a packaging and testing house Xintec, the othera color filler maker VisEra Technologies are likely to benefit from their roles in the manufacturing of the next-generation iPhone, according to industry sources.

TSMC have landed foundry orders for GSM EDGE power amplifiers, Bluetooth ICs and 3.2-megapixel OmniVision CMOS image sensor (CIS) used in the upcoming iPhone model, indicated the sources. Xintec will handle the packaging and testing service for the CIS whereas VisEra will manufacture on-chip color filters for the CIS.

TSMC, Xintec and VisEra declined to comment on the report, citing customer confidentiality.

The so-called "iPhone 3.0" reportedly will be launched by mid-2009, the sources claimed. Assembly suppliers will kick off shipments for the upcoming model starting from May, with the first batch estimated to be around five million units, the sources said.

Apple next-generation iPhone: Chip and key component suppliers:

[via I4U]