Apple (
AAPL),
Google (
GOOG), Microsoft (
MSFT) and other leading technology companies spend millions each year lobbying Washington, and now
Samsung (
005930) is learning that it too needs to grease the wheels a bit more actively if it hopes to compete with top rivals in the U.S. According to regulatory filings analyzed
by Bloomberg, Samsung boosted its lobbying spend to $900,000 in 2012, up 500% from $150,000 in 2011. Rival
Apple spent twice that amount in 2012 and Google spent a whopping $18.2 million. Samsung’s lobbying expenses will likely rise even faster in 2013 as it
continues to battle Apple in court.
