There are reports that Apple is moving its A-series ARM chip production from Samsung to Unimicron Technology Corp., according to “The MacObserver” (http://tinyurl.com/bqd9b9k).
Purportedly, Unimicron has already started small scale chip production for Apple, and will ramp up to full scale production in 2013 after completing construction on a new factory, the article adds. This fall Samsung confirmed that its involvement in Apple chip production had been scaled back and that it was no longer involved in the design process.
If Apple is indeed dropping Samsung chips, it’s no surprise. The two companies are involved in an ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.