Samsung Heir Apparent Invited to Steve Jobs Memorial: Source

The president and chief operating officer of Samsung Electronics, Lee Jae-yong, has been invited to Apple Inc.'s private memorial service for Steve Jobs on Sunday, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Sunday.

Apple and Samsung are engaged in a bruising legal battle as the two jostle for the top spot in the smartphone and tablet markets. Apple is also Samsung's biggest customer, buying mainly chips and displays.

Apple plans to hold an invitation-only memorial service for Jobs apart from an employee event. Samsung's president, Lee Jae-yong, plans to attend the service to offer condolence to Jobs, the source said.

Lee is the only son and heir apparent of Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

Media reported Lee would have a separate meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook after the memorial service and discuss bilateral cooperation, but the source did not confirm the report.

Apple co-founder and technology visionary Steve Jobs will be memorialized at a private service at Stanford University on Sunday, a source with knowledge of the event told Reuters on Friday.

A Dutch court on Friday turned down Samsung's request for an injunction against all of Apple's mobile products that use 3G telecommunications technology, denying it revenge over a similar move by Apple.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Reuters