Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted at a future collaboration with Facebook, promised more social features for Apple products, and called patent disputes "a pain in the ass" in an on-stage interview at the D10 conference.

Speaking to AllThingsD reporters Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, Cook described his company's relationship with Facebook as "very solid," adding, "We have great respect for them. I think we can do more with them."

"Stay tuned," he said, leading AppleInsider to speculate that system level integration of Facebook may be a new feature of iOS 6.

Social mobile

When quizzed on Apple's own social efforts, Cook pointed to iMessage, Game Center, and the system level integration of Twitter in iOS 5 as examples of the company's commitment to social.

"You'll see more things like that in the future," Cook said, while declining to discuss any future products or initiatives.

Achy bum time

On the subject of patent disputes, Cook described such conflicts as "a pain in the ass," adding that "it's overhead that I wish didn't exist."

"It's important that Apple not be the developer for the world," Cook said, justifying the disputes his company has initiated with competitors.

He argued that "Apple has not sued anyone over standards-essential patents that we own, because we view it as fundamentally wrong to do that."

While Apple pursues legal action against rivals when it is 'ripped off,' Cook claims that other companies pursue Apple for standards-essential patents, despite their responsibility to license them in a "fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory" manner.

It's a subject that the CEO is "passionate" about. "We just want people to invent their own stuff," Cook explained.

[source: AllThingsD via AppleInsider]