Hacker News Reader

One reason to protect Apple may be the fact that the NSA has access to Apple and their users' data, which is certainly very valuable to them.

And you don't think they have access to Google and Microsoft, the two companies making software for Samsung phones?

We know that they do.

I'd add to that that control over hardware (such as chips, etc.) seems a tad more powerful.

And then, it could also be about preventing Samsung from gaining market share in the "spying market".