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Korean FTC May Investigate Apple/Samsung

Posted by Zonk on from the should-have-thought-that-through dept.

freaktheclown writes "Samsung may have sold Apple flash memory chips at below-market prices, possibly violating the country's competition laws. From the article: 'According to a report by Yonhap News, Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Kang Chul-kyu said that his agency could look into allegations that Samsung sold the memory chips to Apple at below-market rates. Apple reportedly grabbed a significant share of Samsung's flash capacity in order to introduce its new iPod Nano. Analysts also speculate the computer maker got a significant discount from Samsung in order to hit the Nano's $199 and $249 prices.'" Adds a new layer to a previous story, eh?

5 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Pretty iffy by Silvrmane · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The "article" on the blog this story points to is full of "may" "could have" "possibly" and other weasle-word disclaimers. Nothing to see here.

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  2. Toshiba RAM in $199 nanos, NOT SAMSUNG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    > Analysts also speculate the computer maker got a significant discount from Samsung in order to hit the Nano's $199 and $249 prices.'"

    They can speculate that all they like, but the $199 2GB nano has Toshiba chips, not samsung.

    Try again.

  3. Bulk purchases? by lightyear4 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't most - indeed, if not all - electronics suppliers give substantial volume discounts? I'd say buying up 40% of stock would qualify for a discount. IANAL, but I don't see why that is an issue.

  4. Re:Not the First Anti-competiveness from Apple by cthellis · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Mac OS had become the dominant platform back in the day instead of Windows, you'd all be talking about Microsoft's superior engineering and decrying Apples anti-competetive tactics.

    You got that right. ;-) But I wouldn't put too much behind a statement like "There's a reason Apple was the only one to put out a small/sleek player when everyone else was still putting out clunky nightmares"... The original iPods still looked, felt, and functioned much better than the competition, and after those 1.8" drives hit wider availability said competition STILL hadn't whipped up anything much that's par, let alone a few swings under.

    Those talking about Apple's superior engineering and aesthetics still have quite the point. ;-)

  5. "below market prices" by YesIAmAScript · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not below cost, "below market prices"?

    If selling below market prices is illegal, how do market prices ever fall?

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