After years of rumors, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is said to finally begin trial production of A6X chips for Apple's fourth-generation iPad this quarter From Apple Insider:

TSMC has been contracted to manufacture the A6X chip found in the latest iPad, according to Taiwan's Commercial Times, via French news agency AFP. A report published on Wednesday said trial production of the mobile chips will begin in the first quarter of the year.

Apple has long been rumored to be interested in switching its mobile chip manufacturing from Samsung to TSMC. The iPad maker, which was once Samsung's biggest customer, has been looking to remove Samsung from its supply chain as the two companies are engaged in a number of patent infringement lawsuits around the world.

TSMC contracted to build A6X chips for Apple this quarter, pushing out Samsung