­Apple has hired Samsung's chief semiconductor system architect in a move which is bound to heighten speculation about Apple's attempts to reduce its dependence on Samsung components for its products.

Jim Mergard was a 16-year veteran at AMD who left to join Samsung at its Texas, USA R&D facility only last June.

Although Apple designed the A6 processor that it used in its latest smartphones and tablets itself, they are manufactured by Samsung. Over the past few years Apple has been beefing up its own semiconductor capabilities with acquisitions of development companies.

Hiring industry veterans is a sign that Apple could be preparing for a major shift in focus in its semiconductor design and manufacturing as it seeks to differentiate the underlying hardware from its rivals.

The move will also be seen as another angle in the ongoing battle between the two tech giants.