Apple appears to be switching more component orders away from rival Samsung, with reports emerging the iPhone maker is abandoning Samsung SDI as its smartphone battery supplier.
Until recently, Samsung was Apple’s main supplier for iPhone and iPad processors, memory chips, displays and batteries.
The relationship cooled significantly, however, when Apple was awarded $US1.05 billion in a patent violation lawsuit in which it argued Samsung’s devices, which also use Samsung’s processors, memory chips, displays and batteries, were too similar to Apple’s devices and as a result breached its patents.
Apple has recently attempted to switch away from Samsung as a supplier, with Samsung Display recently cancelling a major order from Apple while retaliating by increasing the price it charges Apple for processors by 20% in response to a move by Apple to find an alternative manufacturer.
According to China Business News, Apple now appears to have switched its battery supplier from Samsung SDI to Amparex Technology Limited (ATL) in the latest move away from using components manufactured by the Korean electronics giant.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
