Apple’s CEO would rather settle than continue to fight legal battles over patent disputes.
Apple is locked in a global patent battle with Samsung and other manufacturers over their use of Google’s Android mobile OS.
Steve Jobs famously threatened to go “thermonuclear” on Android, saying he was willing to spend all of Apple’s money “to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product”.
However, his successor Tim Cook seems less enthusiastic about court showdowns.
The key thing is that it’s very important that Apple not become the developer for the world
“I’ve always hated litigation,” Cook said, according to a transcript of a conference call with investors. “We just want people to invent their own stuff. If we could get an arrangement where we can be assured that’s the case, and that a fair settlement on stuff that’s occurred, I would highly prefer to settle versus battle.”
“The key thing is that it’s very important that Apple not become the developer for the world,” he added. “We need people to invent their own stuff.”
A US judge has ordered Apple to hold talks with Samsung, which is not only its main target in the patent fight, but one of its major component suppliers.
Cook was taking questions following Apple’s quarterly results, which saw the iPhone maker post $11.6bn in profit.
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