Apple to Asian manufacturer: it’s us or Asutek

Apple is reportedly exercising its supply chain muscle by asking Pegatron, an Asian contract manufacturer, to drop new Ultrabook orders from Asustek or else lose orders for iOS devices, according to the Chinese-language “Commercial Times” — as reported by “9to5Mac” (http://www.9to5Mac.com).

The article says the similarities between Apple’s MacBook Air and Asustek’s Zenbook prompted Apple to demand that Pegatron choose sides. The Asian manufacturer egatron currently assembles Asustek’s ultra-thin Zenbook family, but will stop doing so by the end of March, says “9to5Mac.”