Has Apple left Samsung out in the cold over A7 chip project?

Has Apple left Samsung out in the cold over A7 chip project?
Samsung - chip-challenge

There's been more speculation that Apple is looking to ditch Samsung chips in its iPhone and iPad devices, as one paper claims that Samsung has been completely left out of Apple's A7 chip development project.

The A7 application processors in the works now are expected to hit Apple devices in the first half of 2014.

The Korea Times' sources tell it that the "deterioration of ties" between Apple and Samsung has "expanded to chips" having begun in the screen/display arena.

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Instead, Apple is reportedly looking to Nvidia and TSMC to create its next-gen processors using 20nm processing tech - although we've heard Intel bandied around too.

If Apple does completely cut Samsung out of the chip game, it'll be quite a blow to the Korean company which is reportedly hoping to fill the void with its own Exynos processors which it will use in its own Galaxy line-up.

It might surprise you to learn that the two companies work together at all, given the many, varied and escalating patent lawsuits between Apple and Samsung over the past year.

With all the sniping and griping that's gone on both in and out of the courtroom, it's no surprise that Apple is looking to sever its ties with Samsung - and the latest reports tie in with rumours that have been circling since October.

News Editor (UK)

Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.