Edible Apple

Apple and Samsung have been tangled up in a legal battle that has droned on for over a year now. And while the two companies are still fighting as vigorously as ever,  Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung are scheduled to meet this afternoon for some good ole’ court ordered mediation where the two sides will try and see if they can settle their patent differences outside of the courtroom.

Tim Cook has of course said that he’s not a fan of litigation, but at the same time, warned other companies that they need to develop their own products instead of copying Apple’s. To that end, it remains unclear if the two CEOs will be able to hammer out an agreement but my first inclination is that their dispute will be heading to trial come July.

Samsung seemingly came out of nowhere to become the top Android manufacturer so they don’t have much of an incentive to settle. And Apple, well the iPhone is their cash cow and you can bet that they’re not going to sit idly by while another company, in their estimation, rips them off.

Interestingly enough, Apple approached Samsung in July 2010 to express concerns that its first Galaxy product was a little bit too close for comfort to the design of the iPhone. The two companies engaged in negotiations but no final agreement was reached, and hence, Apple decided to go to sue in April 2011.