But if Samsung is evil for copying... then so is Apple for copying no ? I mean, ripping off Delicious Library's whole UI to make iBooks,
I know you're just trying to stir ****, but you're wrong on the Delicious Library allegation. Which means you're probably wrong on the rest (aside from the "faceless corporation" line, which is absolutely true!)
Delicious Monster Visual Designer = Mike Matas
Sr Visual Designer at Apple = Mike Matas (left Apple July 2009)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicious_Monster
Apple effectively owned the designer of Delicious.
In the past few years, Apple has had few real friends. They've become an "Evil Empire", defined mostly by greed and control.
And what else? You're forgetting a helluva lot there. The values, execution, philosophy, that brought us the iPhone, iPad, that has pushed us into the Post-PC era, that has made Macs what they are today, that has given the entire industry the App Store paradigm. Have you seen their quarterly performance for the past few years? Apple is charting their own course. They are far, far less beholden to others. The mantras at Apple (guaranteed) is "keep doing what we've been doing all this time" and "cut all unnecessary ties when we can do it on our own."
Apple sitting down to talk with a competitor who is also a major supplier is a sign of nothing in particular. It's probably the smart thing to do anyway and probably doesn't reflect any major strategy shift. Why do you think it does? How do you know this hasn't happened before?
If anything, Apple is forging fewer partnerships, but strengthening the ones they do have. Rumblings of the move away from Intel and the closer relationship with ARM. The A-series architecture, etc. Apple is becoming more independent. Something that has been planned for years. Only in recent years did they develop the financial and material wherewithal to go it alone on key projects and/or maintain full control on key projects with minimal outside interference.
Apple's "greed and control" has been an asset. They have been and are currently playing it just right. Keep in mind, they do the WHOLE widget - hardware and software. Their need for "friends" and partners will be quite different from what you'll see elsewhere in the industry.
Cook is restoring needed relationships, starting with settling with Nokia and now, Samsung.
What needed relationships in particular and how are they necessary?
Nokia?? Apple has sweet f all to do with them. They have no relationship apart from necessary patents that Apple has no choice but to license. There was no way around this anyway. You build a modern mobile phone, you'll need to use Nokia's IP. Their relationship ends and begins with this. They are otherwise competitors, and beyond IP licensing (mandatory anyway) Apple has no use for them, especially since they're circling the drain and have joined ranks with a competitor.
Samsung. They're a major supplier. We don't know which side wanted to talk. We can assume Samsung would rather not have an injunction placed against the sale of their products, and Apple likely would rather not have to at some point reveal the plans for any of their devices to a competitor. Ever. Sitting down to talk is not "friendship", it's practical, and probably cheaper for both sides in the long run.
Further, there is no such thing as "friends" in this industry, and I'm not sure what on earth you mean by "real" friends. Corporate entities don't go out to the bar for beer and have slumber parties. These are just business relationships based on
necessity and profit. How many "friends" does Apple need? Can you get any more nebulous? Apple's position in the industry is UNIQUE. The rules you'd like extend to them just don't apply. Do you not know this?
"Evil Empire"? What are you talking about? Would there be a "Rebel Alliance" as well? Are we going to call Jobs Emperor Palpatine with Tim Cook as his protégé? LOL. That's Tolkien-esque fantasy. This isn't Narnia. This is a technology market. This "evil empire" is showing the way for this entire half-asleep industry, and the also-rans are struggling to stay on pace. This nonsensical characterization of "good" and "evil" when it comes to corporate entities is a ridiculous anthropomorphization that has no place in this discourse.
Apple's relationships with partners are no worse now than they've ever been. We've seen Apple be conciliatory before - with MS years ago. We've seen them back down from ill-conceived battles, and we've seen them fight the important ones through to the end. Apple has
always been litigious. Meanwhile they've become the most successful company in tech, and there is absolutely no end in sight. One of the reasons being is that they are (and have been) very aggressive when it comes to protecting their IP -
whether or not they're right. Why should this change? It's business. Enemies one day, friends another day. Apple and the other players have no concept of "good" or "evil", just legal technicalities, design disputes, etc. These all get sorted out.
Currently, the only real problem Apple faces is how to meet ever-increasing demand for their products. The rest are just business transactions.
