Samsung and Apple are far from coming out and saying that they are best buddies again, but it seems they are willing to put many of their recent differences behind them, as the US company has reportedly recommissioned its Korean rival to manufacture processors for future iPhones.

　　After the companies' much-publicised court cases and patent battles, Apple took its A-series processor business to Taiwanese firm TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company). The 20-nm A8 chips for devices expected to launch in 2014 will be made by the new supplier, but it seems that Apple has decided to return to Samsung afterwards.

　　"Samsung Electronics will supply 14 nano A9 chips that will be used for Apple's iPhone 7," reports The Korea Economic Daily. The fact that Samsung has managed to create 14-nm chip before its Taiwanese rival may have swayed the decision.

　　One strange aspect of this though, is that the TSMC deal was reported to last for three years, not just for production of the A8 chip. Could this mean that Apple will source its future processors from more than one manufacturer? Could be. It already has handset production housed with separate companies; Foxconn and Pegatron have both been used in the past.