Cramer on Samsung-Harman deal: I pushed Apple to buy it first

Apple (AAPL) should have scooped up car tech firm Harman International (HAR) before Samsung (593-KR) did, says CNBC's Jim Cramer. Harman agreed to be bought by the tech giant's rival for $8 billion on Monday.

"I pushed (Apple CEO) Tim Cook ," Cramer said on " Squawk on the Street " Monday. "I did a Google search of how many times I said they should buy Harman. It was kind of embarrassing because every single one the Harman listings was 'Cramer to Apple: Buy Harman.'"

Samsung's agreement to buy the U.S. firm — best known for making car audio systems — marks a major push for the company to enter the automotive electronics market. The tech company had created an automotive electronic business group a year ago to help identify growth opportunities in the sector.

The deal also comes as Samsung's smartphone business took a hit from its Galaxy Note 7 recall.

Cramer said he continuously pressed Apple to buy the firm because he believed the company's select-vehicle asset CarPlay, available in models such as Acura, Audi and BMWs, wasn't powerful enough.

"You want to be the center of infotainment," he said, "which they've now brought it into the center for yes, cyber-security [and] autonomous cars."

—Reuters contributed to this report.

Disclosure: Jim Cramer's charitable trust owns shares of Apple.