With Samsung and Apple currently waging a patent battle across the globe, it’s easy to understand that the business deals between the two companies are a little shaky at the moment. Apple has been slowly trying to replace Samsung as a supplier of its parts for iDevices, but now Samsung is fighting back. A new report from MarketWatch claims that Samsung is charging Apple a 20% premium for its mobile processor chips these days.
MarketWatch’s source – who is reportedly “familiar with negotiations” between the companies – claims that at first, Apple rejected the price increase. When the iPhone maker couldn’t find another supplier, however, it was forced to go along with Samsung’s boost in price. Apple has a contract with Samsung that lasts until 2014, so Samsung stands to make a fair bit of money from this hike.
While surges and declines in price are commonplace in the business world, we have a feeling that this has something to do with Apple’s recent court win over Samsung. There are a lot of people out there who think that Apple should have never taken Samsung to court and disagree with the ruling, and you can bet that Samsung counts itself among that group. The jury in the case declared that Samsung should pay Apple more than $1 billion, so it kind of goes without saying that there’s some bad blood between the two.
Whatever the reason behind this price hike, it’s apparently been implemented and now Apple is stuck paying a 20% premium. This probably won’t be the last time we hear of Samsung trying to get back at Apple (if that is indeed what it’s doing), so keep it tuned here to Android Community to hear more about Apple and Samsung’s ongoing scuffle.
[via SlashGear]
karma, samsung must be laughing
Great about fing time. pay them the money then have them pay it back to you
Way to go Samsung.