As Apple's patent infringement lawsuits against Samsung drag on, it appears that not everyone in Apple brass was in favor of suing the South Korean electronics giant.
Tim Cook, who succeeded Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as chief executive, was opposed to suing Samsung, mostly because of the company's role as a key supplier of components for the iPhone and iPad, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The Cupertino-based company was Samsung's biggest customer in 2011, reportedly buying some $8 billion worth of screens and chips.
After signing a flash memory deal in 2005, the two companies developed a close relationship that included the grandson of Samsung's founder visiting Jobs' Palo Alto, Calif., home, Reuters reported. That partnership reportedly gave each company insight into each others operations.
After the launch of the Galaxy S in 2010, Jobs and Cook complained to Samsung executives about the smartphone's look and feel, expecting the company would alter its design, Reuters reported. Suspecting that Samsung was relying on its position as a critical components supplier to protect it from legal retribution, Jobs' patience ran out a year later when Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab.
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by Steven Musil via CNET
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