The well-publicized legal disputes between Apple and Samsung rage on with much publicity. As both companies counter each other's new phone releases with attempts to ban imports to countries, Apple's reliable Chinese manufacturing partner, Foxconn, is lending some publicity as the release of the sixth-generation iPhone (colloquially known as the "iPhone 5") nears.
In Foxconn's annual shareholders' meeting, chairman Terry Gou highlighted the company's recent joint venture with Sharp Corporation of Japan. Mr. Gou acquired a 46.5% stake in Sharp's LCD plant in Sakai, Osaka. The stake in the plant follows a 10% stake in Sharp for $800 million USD made in late March. Mr. Gou states the move was done on his own behalf to avoid any impact on Foxconn stock.
The Foxconn chairman also took a moment to urge customers to wait for the iPhone 5, stating it will "put Samsung's Galaxy S III to shame." Such a sentiment is shared by Apple, Foxconn, and Sharp alike. All three are competitors to the lucrative display panels, mobile devices, televisions, and computers of Samsung's business.
Mr. Gou stated that it was his personal lifetime goal to defeat his Korean rival, even going as far as to praise the Japanese for "their execution and communication styles" in contrast to the Koreans "hitting you from behind." Part of this animosity was due to Samsung raising complaints to the European Commission on price fixing in the display panel industry, which led to fines on four Taiwanese firms specializing in display units.
All fighting words aside, it is certain production of the rumoured Apple television set will chug along. Sharp's Sakai plant currently has an exclusive agreement with Corning, makers of the well-received Gorilla Glass used on mobile devices. With this new deal, Foxconn plans to establish a television assembly line at their headquarters in New Taipei City, which will most likely be used to assemble Apple iTVs.
Source: Focus Taiwan
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