After years of accusations and litigation, the once-frosty relationship between Apple and Samsung is thawing. The two companies may always be rivals who create competing products, but their business partnership is growing stronger: Samsung is reportedly dedicating 200 employees to creating displays exclusively for Apple.
According to Bloomberg, Samsung formed a group on April 1 that is dedicated to making displays for iPads and MacBooks. The 200-person team at Samsung Display Co. can only share Apple information within its ranks, which may cut down on the supplier leaks that have ruined Apple product surprises in recent years.
Samsung is also reportedly manufacturing Apple’s next mobile chip, likely called the A9, after the Cupertino company moved away from its rival to produce the A8 chip with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
A contentious past
Samsung has long supplied parts to Apple, but the two companies came to legal blows after Samsung released its Galaxy S smartphone. Apple accused the Korean company of blatant patent infringement with its smartphone line, which looked and worked similarly to the iPhone. Samsung countersued Apple, claiming that the company infringed on its patents, too.
After years of legal tangling, Samsung and Apple finally settled their patent disputes outside the U.S., and a verdict was issued in Apple’s favor here, although appeals are ongoing. Samsung is focusing on developing its display and semiconductor business as its profits decline, though the company hopes the release of its new Galaxy S6 phone last Friday will boost revenues.