Samsung and Apple Discuss Supplying ‘Better Parts’ in the Future

In what may seem an attempt to loosen up in their fierce dispute over dominance in the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung have come to terms on at least one topic recently - supplying better parts for their products.

After attending Steve Jobs memorial service on Sunday, Lee Jae-Yong, the only son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee and heir apparent to the family-owned business group, said Samsung will continue to sell parts to Apple at least until 2012.

The statement came after Lee had met with Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook to discuss privately about the future of both companies. The meeting lasted about two hours, he said.

The Korean electronics company is a key chip vendor for Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch players.

"For the 2013-2014 period, we discussed how best to supply even better parts," Lee said.

According to The Korea Herald, Lee said he mentioned past challenges and discussed with Cook about how to promote good relations in the future.

Lee declined to tell reporters whether or not the two businessmen discussed their employers’ legal spat. He said his visit "was to attend the memorial service."

"There is a need to compete in a fair manner for the benefit of the consumer, and this stance existed in the past, is taking place now and will occur in the future," he added.

Recent reports said that Apple was not switching to a different chip maker to supply the next-generation of A-series processors, despite talk of TSMC being contracted to do so.

Earlier this week, a new report said Samsung would continue to make the A4 and the A5 for Apple, and that it would also begin work on the A6, an unconfirmed quad-core processor for Apple products to come.