Despite all the lawsuit bickering between Samsung and Apple, there has always been a feeling that the companies will work things out because there is a symbiotic relationship between the two: Apple needs Samsung for chips and displays and Samsung needs Apple because it has been its largest customer, surpassing its own handset division. That could be changing though, as a report suggests that Apple is tapping Taiwan SemiConductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for its A6 chip.
Samsung makes the A5 chip that can be found in the iPad 2, as well as the chips that can be found inside the hugely popular iPhone 4. The loss of Apple as a customer on the chip side could be a multi-billion dollar thing, as the next iPhone (or iPhones) are expected to be even more popular than its predecessor.
Even if this is true, don’t look for the Samsung, Apple relationship to completely end, as Apple uses Samsung for screens and memory too. There’s a chance this could be a move away from that though.
The move would be a major win for TSMC but we still have to remind you that this is still just a rumor for now. We won’t really know what the deal is until the next iPhone comes out and the cool guys at iFixit or another place rips it apart. We can’t wait.
[Via IBT]