Apple CEO Tim Cook talks competition, addresses Samsung ad

You’ve probably already seen Samsung‘s infamous iPhone-mocking TV advertisement that pokes fun at the Apple fanboys waiting in line for the next iPhone, yet Samsung touts that “the next best thing is already here.” The ad ended up being named the most viral tech ad of 2012, but what does Apple CEO Tim Cook think about it? During his first TV interview since becoming CEO, Cook sat down with NBC‘s Brian Williams to discuss competition.

On last night’s Rock Center with Brian Williams, the host brought up Samsung’s TV ad and asked Tim Cook if the battle between Apple and Samsung was “thermonuclear war.” Cook subtly dodged the question by mentioning that the company “loves competition” and that “it makes us all better.” However, Cook made a quiet jab at Samsung by saying that he “wants people to invent their own stuff.”

Cook also addressed one of the main themes of the Samsung ad, where Samsung poked fun at the Apple customers and fans who were waiting in line for the next Apple product, while Samsung users were nearby showing off their Galaxy S III smartphones. Cook simply stated that the company loves its customers and that they’ll “fight to defend them with anyone.”

The entire two-part interview with Tim Cook is available now for viewing on NBC‘s website. We’ve already covered a couple of the talking points yesterday, including Apple’s plans to start manufacturing Mac computers in the US beginning next year, and that the television is something of “intense interest” for the company.