Apple and Samsung aren’t exactly best friends. Which is why it’s quite amusing to find out that Apple’s A5 processor is built on a $US3.6 billion Samsung production line in Texas.
According to Reuters, the A5 processor — used in both the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2 — is made in a Samsung plant in Austin, Texas.
The factory, operational since 1996, previously made just NAND flash memory chips. But a cash injection, which means the plant has now cost Samsung $US3.6 billion and a boost in staff numbers means the production line, with over 1100 workers, now produces processors.
It seems, though, that Apple accounts for almost all of the non-flash output of the factory. Which is kind of hilarious given ongoing legal disputes between the two. [Reuters]
CaptainLaserGuns
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:42 AMSamsung gives a lot of their products to Apple. In fact, even the A4 Core and Retina Display are made by Samsung, both products which they boast about.
…And then Apple turns around and sues their main supplier.
Richard
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 12:00 PMThey aren’t “giving” Apple a thing. They are selling them the hardware and Apple just happens to be their largest buyer of these products too and thus make up a considerable amount of Samsung income.
However business is business and this isn’t some kids playground. You can be both competitive and reliant on companies at the same time and Apple suing Samsung for perceived issues with one device doesn’t mean they wont secure contracts with them elsewhere. It’s not that far removed from Google having Applications on a competing system or Microsoft being a large supporter of Apple with their office suite and other software products.
TSH
Monday, December 19, 2011 at 12:34 PMThis. It’s nothing personal, it’s just business.
Titsnass
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 9:45 AMErm, if that’s the case then why,… just why…??
Joel
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:16 AMContracts and money. No matter how much Apple and Samsung battle it out on court, that’s a completely different part of the company than the part bringing in money by production.
Steve
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 3:48 PMIt’s a world market and everyone has their hands in the next guy’s pocket. Apple and Samsung are in bed together, because it’s still profitable. I have no doubt that the second it becomes financially-expedient to find another manufacturing partner, Apple would just jump ship. As it stands, Samsung is one of the largest producers of small appliance components.
Ekbul
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 6:43 PMI thought it was pretty much common knowledge that samsung made alot of the components for apple.
Pete
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 6:49 PM+1