Tim Cook Vs Steve Jobs: Apple CEO Tim Cook vs. Steve Jobs, Samsung Lawsuit

Tim Cook Vs Steve Jobs: It has been well documented over the past year that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung are spending quite a bit of time and money fighting it out in the courtroom. While this may not be news to most people, it is interesting to take note that current CEO Tim Cook and former CEO Steve Jobs did not exactly see eye to eye on how things should unfold with one of its primary competitors.

On one side of things you had Steve Jobs. He was all about keeping competitors away from “his” products, even if it meant spending a lot of resources in the courtroom.

On the other side of the story is current Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook. He has a different take on how to handle the situation.

A recent article by Reuters takes a closer look at the thoughts of both men. To read the article in its entirety, visit this link: Insight: Apple and Samsung, frenemies for life

While Jobs had no issue taking on Samsung, Cook had a different perspective. Here is what the article has to say:

“Tim Cook, Jobs’ successor as Apple chief executive, was opposed to suing Samsung in the first place, according to people with knowledge of the matter, largely because of that company’s critical role as a supplier of components for the iPhone and the iPad. Apple bought some $8 billion worth of parts from Samsung last year, analysts estimate.”

While Jobs did not care who he was battling in court, Cook took a safer approach as he worried about what this may mean to the company as a whole. In other words, he realized that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) relies heavily on Samsung to be the supplier of many critical components.

Here is some more information on the background, including more thoughts from both men:

“Jobs and Cook complained to top Samsung executives when they were visiting Cupertino. Apple expected, incorrectly, that Samsung would modify its design in response to the concerns, people familiar with the situation said.”

“Apple’s worst fears were confirmed with the early 2011 release of the Galaxy Tab, which Jobs and others regarded as a clear rip-off of the iPad.”

“Cook, worried about the critical supplier relationship, was opposed to suing Samsung. But Jobs had run out of patience, suspecting that Samsung was counting on the supplier relationship to shield it from retribution.”

As we know by now, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung are having their day in court. Does this mean Jobs was right? Does it mean Cook changed his stance? Share your thoughts below.

Check back here for more updates on Tim Cook Vs Steve Jobs.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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