Facebook is seeking smartphone partnership with Samsung
The HTC First, a smartphone that features Facebook front-and-center, has been a flop. So now Facebook is reportedly turning to Samsung, the world’s largest phone maker, for help.
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg met with Samsung Mobile counterpart Shin Jong-kyun on Tuesday in South Korea to discuss potential partnerships, Shin said after the meeting. But Samsung is “unlikely to be considering the request for a Facebook-platform phone in a positive light,” industry watchers told the Korean Herald.
Samsung is looking to position itself as a high-end brand as it battles with Apple. Facebook just isn’t as premium of a brand as say Jay-Z, whom Samsung struck a marketing deal with this week.
Facebook has sought to keep mobile ad revenue growing. The HTC First was the launch phone for the company’s new Facebook Home feature, but the phone and the feature received lackluster reviews. Facebook Home brings status updates, photos and other Facebook content to a phone’s lock screen and front page. It’s available through the Google Play store for other devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S4.
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