Apple has opened discussions to purchase the majority of Renesas SP, a Japanese chip maker in dire financial straits. According to Reuters, Apple wants the 55 percent stake that Renesas SP owns in another company called Renesas SP Driver, the largest supplier of chips that control mobile screens to all three iPhone suppliers: Sharp, LG Display, and Japan Display Inc. Renesas is currently restructuring after suffering some serious losses, which prompted the talks.
Unnamed sources cited in the article claim there are other companies involved in the talks, but did not mention specific companies or the status of those talks. One of those people also mentioned the company's strength in high resolution and power-saving features, both features which hold some appeal for Apple.
We have heard stories time and again about how Tim Cook was responsible for whipping Apple's supply chains into shape, not to mention the benefits to the bottom line. It would make sense for Apple to pull a piece of manufacturing back under their control, which would by extension also put the leaks of The Next Apple Thing under Apple's control as well.
We should also note that Apple owning this company has the side effect of keeping it and its products out of the hands of other mobile companies (coughSamsungcough).