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Despite countless lawsuits, Apple depends on Samsung more than ever

Published May 12th, 2014 1:26PM EDT
Apple Samsung iPad Displays

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Apple and Samsung clearly don’t like one another all that much, but outside the courtroom their relationship isn’t personal — it’s just business. CNET directs our attention to a new report from market researcher DisplaySearch claiming that Samsung has reclaimed its spot as the top display supplier for the iPad despite the fact that Apple made a concerted effort to lessen its dependence on the Korean smartphone titan last year. According to DisplaySearch, Samsung shipped approximately 63% of all 9.7-inch iPad panels in the first quarter this year, which made it by far the No. 1 iPad display supplier.

The reasons that Apple has come back to Samsung aren’t hard to figure out: Devices such as the iPad mini faced shortages at launch because some of the newer component suppliers Apple had hired weren’t up to the job. No matter what Apple thinks of Samsung, it knows the company has tremendous manufacturing capabilities to produce components at a massive scale.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.