Apple Planning $1 Billion Investment in Sharp LCD Factory: Source

Apple AAPL is considering an investment in a Sharp Corporation factory that produces LCD screens for the company's popular iPhone and iPad products, sources told Reuters Wednesday. The move would allow Apple to diversify its supplier base, while also securing ample supply when a new product roll-out comes along, or demand increases. Apple's $70 billion+ in cash and liquid investments easily allows for the factory investment. Sources have already reported that Sharp won a contract to supply energy-efficient screens for an iPhone to launched in 2012. Japanese media in particular have speculated on the potential factory. Curiously, Apple has recently escalated litigation against one supplier on which it deeply relies - Samsung. The factory investment would be a strong card should tensions with Samsung remain unsettled. "If the situation escalates into a state of war, this could mean a huge shift in orders," one of the sources told Reuters. Apple is famously secretive about its design process, supply chain, and product deliveries.