Struggling chipmaker Renesas Electronics Corp. is currently pondering the sale of its subsidiary business, developing liquid crystal display panels, to Apple Inc., sources said Wednesday.
Apple aims to develop smartphones with higher definition screens and lower power consumption via the acquisition of Renesas SP Drivers Inc.'s technology for key components that determine the quality of LCD panels, the sources said.
South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. holds the top spot in the global smartphone market, and Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei Technologies Co. also have a strong presence.
Renesas currently owns a 55 percent share in the subsidiary, while Sharp Corp. holds a 25 percent stake and Taiwan chipmaker Powerchip Technology Corp. has a 20 percent share.