Sharp and Hon Hai Precision, parent company of Foxconn, are partnering to improve the LCD manufacturing process for the iPhone. A report by Reuters points to Nikkei business daily report that says Sharp is helping Foxconn outfit a new Chengdu plant with the latest LCD manufacturing technology. Foxconn will use Sharp's know-how to improve its iPhone display manufacturing process. In return, Hon Hai, parent company of Foxconn, will buy an 11 percent stake in Sharp that's worth 66.9 billion yen (US$844 million as of this writing).

This agreement follows an earlier deal that gave Hon Hai a 46.48 percent stake in a Sharp's most advanced LCD display plant in Sakai, Western Japan.