Foxconn's iPhone 5 Tease is Bad News for Samsung's Galaxy S III

Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer responsible for building Apple's AAPL products, fueled the iPhone 5 hype machine this week when its CEO, Terry Gou, shared his opinion of the device. According to 9to5Mac (which cited a Focus Taiwan report featuring quotes from a China Times story), Gou reportedly said that the next iPhone "will put Samsung's Galaxy III to shame." Gou referred to Samsung as a company "with a track record of snitching on its competitors," supposedly referring to a 2010 incident where the company helped the European Commission investigate four Taiwanese companies for price-fixing. Gou believes that Samsung sidestepped the investigation by helping authorities as a "tainted witness." Gou did not provide any details explaining how the iPhone 5 will shame its chief competitor, nor did he elaborate on his view that Sharp's "pioneering technology" in flat panel displays will give the company a three-year competitive edge over Samsung. (Sharp is rumored to be developing the displays for Apple's upcoming television, though Gou did not comment on this specifically.) However, it is in Gou's nature to be as vague as possible when speaking on his company and the products it manufactures. Earlier this year, Foxconn made headlines when it was revealed that Gou had confirmed the development of an Apple-made television. The tech world exploded with excitement, with some publications reporting the information as if Apple had made the announcement. But alas, Apple did not make the announcement, and according to Foxconn, its CEO did not confirm the existence of a new TV. Will Foxconn deny Gou's latest comments? Only time will tell. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ