Samsung is a major supplier of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch parts and components to Apple. From processors to screens to memory to batteries — Apple is heavily dependent on Samsung (the supplier) to keep Apple products flowing. Because of its ongoing legal disputes with Samsung (the smartphone and tablet maker), Apple has been trying to lessen its dependency on Samsung parts by moving to other suppliers. Indeed, Apple has recently shifted a significant portion of its supply chain away from Samsung and to other companies, such as sourcing more screens from LG than from Samsung. In the case of batteries, however, it seems like Samsung has thrown the first punch by simply refusing to supply Apple.

According to China Business News, Apple has decided to purchase batteries for iPads and Macbooks from two Chinese suppliers (Amperex Technology Limited and Tianjin Lishen Battery) after Samsung stopped selling the batteries to Apple.

It isn’t entirely clear why Samsung has stopped supplying Apple (assuming the report turns out to be true) nor do we know if this is an isolated incident or the beginning of a bigger breakaway between the two tech giants. However, we do know one thing: Apple is so dependent on Samsung because Samsung is one of the few companies that can supply Apple with the quality and quantity it desires, and Samsung makes a whole lot of money by supplying Apple. So legal issues between Apple and Samsung (the mobile device maker) spilling over on the relationship of Apple and Samsung (the supplier) is not a good sign for either company.

[via TechCrunch, image via MacUsersGuide]