Mike Abramsky, an RBC Capital analyst recently sat down in a meeting with Peter Oppenheimer (Apple’s Chief Financial Officer) and Tim Cook (Chief Operating Officer) to discuss a range of topics from Apple’s patent battles to the possibility of a budget-priced iPhone. “Apple’s primary criterion for launching a lower-end iPhone is an innovative, category-killer experience,” Abramsky wrote in a recent note to investors. The executives said that the components sector is currently a “buyers market,” which means it has the upper hand when it comes to negotiating for parts. In addition, Abramsky said Apple is interested in settling a number of patent lawsuits against Android phone makers similar to HTC and Samsung, in an effort to strike favorable agreements in countries such as China that have less firm patent protection. It has been reported recently that Apple plans to launch a $350 contract-free iPhone, which could very well end up being the iPhone 3GS. Apple is expected to unveil it’s next generation iPhone in the coming months for a September or October launch. Stay tuned for more news and info on the topic by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and/or subscribing to our RSS feed. Authors: