Samsung

Zuckerberg seeking Samsung produced Facebook phone?

posted by Alan F. / Jun 18, 2013, 6:12 AM

Zuckerberg seeking Samsung produced Facebook phone?

In South Korea for business, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg met with J.K. Shin and other top executives from Samsung's mobile division. According to one anonymous insider, "Facebook has every intention of becoming the second Google, and with that intent in mind, Zuckerberg is said to have asked Samsung to step up cooperation by launching a phone with a Facebook interface." Others who are plugged into the situation say that a Samsung produced Facebook handset would be a longshot considering that there would be no upside for the OEM. "Samsung doesn’t want to help nurture a second Google, which is now becoming a formidable rival for Samsung in the handset business," said another close source.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg met in Korea with Samsung to discuss a Facebook phone

Facebook is coming off a disappointing release of the Facebook Home launcher which debuted to poor reviews on the Google Play Store. Speculation was that Facebook developers were so tuned into their Apple iPhones and iOS that they didn't think about things like widgets when they produced the launcher. Even more disappointing, the lone handset model that came pre-installed with Facebook Home, the HTC First, was reduced in price to 99 cents on contract after selling only an estimated 10,000 units. AT&T eventually dropped the model, which never made it to the U.K. as planned.

This wasn't the first time that a Facebook phone failed to catch on. In 2011, the HTC Salsa and HTC ChaCha (HTC Status at AT&T) were launched. Both contained a dedicated Facebook button that could send a tune to your Facebook status profile and add pictures to your wall instantly. One cool feature allowed you to use the Facebook button while in camera mode and any picture would get quickly uploaded to Facebook. But the phones never caught on, leaving Zuckerberg to continue his quest.

source: KoreaHerald via AndroidAuthority

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28 Comments

1. _Bone_

Posts: 2155; Member since: Oct 29, 2012

Bad idea. Facebook is a service not an OS.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:16 AM 17

9. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Google with all the different services just barely made it. Face book don't have a prayer. Generation Z have expectation higher than the dark side of the moon.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 7:14 AM 0

12. lovefist unregistered

Zuck really doesn't get it. The htc first has good build quality and it didn't sell well. And now they're gonna ask help from an oem known for creating less than exciting phones (in terms of build quality).. Ugh can't they just be smart and stay the h3ll out of the way of stock android.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 8:00 AM 0

2. ihatesmartphone unregistered

You are start with a wrong move..

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:18 AM 0

3. roldefol

Posts: 4744; Member since: Jan 28, 2011

News flash, Zuck. The HTC First tanked because it was a Facebook phone, not because it wasn't a Samsung.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:24 AM 2

24. icyrock1

Posts: 307; Member since: Mar 25, 2013

This. Not to mention Facebook Home sucks.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 4:09 PM 0

4. piyath

Posts: 2445; Member since: Mar 23, 2012

HTC is u useless. They can't rule the world. Only samsung can. They have shown that to the world. Even fb knows that. Good move Mark.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:34 AM 3

5. chaoticrazor

Posts: 2347; Member since: Aug 28, 2012

what a stupid comment, samsung dont rule the world and HTC arent useless, considering there HTC one is standing toe to toe with the s4 they cant be useless go be mindless elsewhere

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:41 AM 7

6. iushnt

Posts: 3108; Member since: Feb 06, 2013

dont just compare one model..htc one is just a good looking phone, it can never create the hype of s4 and never come close in terms of sales figures..however htc one is a nice device, the only problem is it is made by an unknown company for many people and that is HTC. It is clear that today samsung rules the world

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:53 AM 3

8. chaoticrazor

Posts: 2347; Member since: Aug 28, 2012

wow you really go overboard. HTC arent an unknown company in any sense there still up there with samsung etc in the general public mindset. and sales dont speak for the best, this sales=best mentality is becoming too over the top. and the hype of the s4, the s4 is living off the s3's success. just like how the iphone 5 rode on the 4s's success. neither were massive improvements but thanks to marketing and making it seem the must have device sales were expected and no samsung doesnt rule the world, thats a stupid thing to state

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 7:02 AM 0

13. CanYouSeeTheLight

Posts: 1122; Member since: Jul 05, 2012

This. Samsung's Galaxy brand is getting as known as the iPhones at least where i live, i have had at least a dozen of persons asking if my HTC was a Galaxy. General mindset is every Android phone is a Galaxy and there is nothing but Galaxys. Samsung spends much money on advertising and that is where the brand recognition comes in, "Oh it is on the TV it must be the best phone ever!".

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 8:07 AM 0

19. chaoticrazor

Posts: 2347; Member since: Aug 28, 2012

ohh i completely agree, what im trying to say is HTC isnt a unknown company, there still around and people know them. the fact samsung has pulled off the same trick as apple with marketing doesnt mean HTC are nothing now and unknown like he states considering the amount of fanatic sammy fans it shows samsung has achieved apple levels of marketing.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 10:19 AM 1

25. iushnt

Posts: 3108; Member since: Feb 06, 2013

i know it is not that unknown but very unknown in many countries like India and other emerging markets..when we talk about htc they take it as a cheap chinese oem as they (not all but many)have never heard of it..

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 7:24 PM 0

7. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

You also not rule the world, does that mean that you are useless? Because according to your logic you should be useless too?

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 6:58 AM 5

23. amats69

Posts: 1527; Member since: Nov 12, 2012

Rule the world? seriously kiddo? stup!d comment indeed!

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 1:33 PM 2

27. ncarlosmiguel

Posts: 206; Member since: May 14, 2013

LOL "rule the world"? That escalated quickly.

posted on Jun 19, 2013, 5:00 AM 0

10. tiara6918

Posts: 2263; Member since: Apr 26, 2012

Samsung already knows htc failed with the first and now they're gonna produce a facebook phone? Does samsung want to release a new handset every day?Seriously, they're already flooding the market, a few handsets from theirs would already be enough

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 7:21 AM 0

11. roldefol

Posts: 4744; Member since: Jan 28, 2011

I fail to see how Facebook is going to compete with Google. Google provides services I actually need: cloud e-mail, search, news. Facebook lets me know what my brother ate for dinner last night.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 7:41 AM 3

14. lubba

Posts: 1313; Member since: Jan 17, 2011

The real FB phone is and will always be a wp. You can't reproduce Zucky!

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 8:17 AM 0

15. pixelado

Posts: 130; Member since: Feb 16, 2013

Nah, leave the facebool failphones to HTC. Samsung makes too many devices already. If people want Facebook on their devices, fine, there are apps for that.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 8:35 AM 0

16. Daftama

Posts: 641; Member since: Nov 03, 2012

Please gobto apple

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 8:36 AM 1

17. mottykels

Posts: 387; Member since: May 15, 2013

Zuck do your own os dont forced android to be a fb flatform duh?

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 9:14 AM 1

21. Topcat488

Posts: 1416; Member since: Sep 29, 2012

If Facebook created their own OS it would be called Facebook Internet or FBI.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 11:27 AM 1

18. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

DAMN FB GIVE THE FCK up already. no ONE WANTS YOUR DUMB phone that tracks people all the time

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 10:00 AM 0

20. jaytai0106

Posts: 1888; Member since: Mar 30, 2011

Doesn't matter who makes your phone, Facebook, no one is going to buy them.

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 11:25 AM 0

22. chris2589

Posts: 4; Member since: May 24, 2012

This is sad he should be concentrating in bringing a better experience and upgrading their app wich is horrible especially in tablets

posted on Jun 18, 2013, 12:04 PM 0

26. KINGJUAN27

Posts: 210; Member since: Jul 02, 2012

Facebook is arrogant for not rolling out a native Facebook app and also Instagram to Windows Phone! Come on Zuck! WP is growing fast and very promising, it's already the 3rd major OS in the market! Why not reconsider releasing FB and Instagram to WP?! :/