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Apple allegedly selects new manufacturer for next-gen iPhone

 

In addition to Apple's existing partnership with Foxconn, a new deal with Asus subsidiary Pegatron Technology is reportedly in place for the manufacturing of the next-generation iPhone.

Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes reported Wednesday that Pegatron Technology has been selected by Apple for OEM production of the next-gen iPhone, expected to debut this summer. Pegatron will join Foxconn in manufacturing the handsets, industry sources reportedly said.

Officially, Pegatron declined to comment, but the company expects its handset shipments to "grow substantially in 2010," the report noted. The company produces LCD TVs and handsets, and is due to produce Microsoft's Project Natal motion controller sensor for the Xbox 360 this year.

Pegatron was previously connected to the iPhone last fall, when a report alleged that the company would build a new hybrid, world mode phone that would allow calls on both CDMA and GSM networks, granting access to Verizon Wireless in the U.S. The current iPhone manufacturer is Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known by its trade name of Foxconn.

This week, AppleInsider reported that sources said a next-generation iPhone prototype was pictured in a leaked photo of the Apple iPad before its introduction last week.

In other Apple hardware news, another DigiTimes report alleges that Genesys Logic has started sampling USB 3.0 controllers for a client, and sources have said that client is likely Apple. Genesys officials, however, have denied any partnership with the Mac maker.

Finally, Radiant Opto-Electronics of Taiwan will reportedly supply 300,000 LED backlight units for the forthcoming iPad. The iPad is due to arrive by the end of March starting at $499, with the 3G-enabled version set to debut a month later with a $130 premium.