Tizen Conflict

Lee Jae-yong (left), vice-president of Samsung Electronics, and Larry Page, CEO of Google.
Lee Jae-yong (left), vice-president of Samsung Electronics, and Larry Page, CEO of Google.

 

The relationship between Samsung Electronics and Google, the biggest partners in the global smart phone industry, is becoming awkward. Google expressed strong displeasure with Samsung’s efforts to minimize its dependency on Google by developing its own operating system (OS).

Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, met Larry Page, CEO of Google, at the “Allen & Company Conference” held at Sun Valley, the biggest vacation spot in Idaho.

According to local press “The Information” and “Business Insider” on July 17, CEO Page strongly complained to Samsung Electronics about the fact that Samsung is not focusing on “Android Wear,” the smart watch OS of Google.

Samsung Electronics has introduced four types of smart watches so far, and only one of them is using Android Wear. CEO Page is very upset, as Samsung Electronics has released two kinds of smart watches operated with “Tizen,” Samsung’s own OS developed with Intel.

A witness said, “There was a very strong tension between two.” In fact, Google has requested Samsung Electronics not to release smart watch products yet, but to wait until the development of the smart watch OS is done.

However, two companies officially explain that there is no trouble in their cooperative relationships. An official at Samsung Electronics said, “There could be minor conflicts during business negotiations, but this is only an inevitable process of problem solving.” Sundar Pichai, executive vice president of Google overseeing Android, also mentioned, “Samsung and Google are long term allies, and we cannot develop good products without cooperating with each other.” It would not be easy for Samsung who is in a series of serious patent lawsuits with Apple to say goodbye to Google and move alone.

Samsung Electronics has already accepted Google’s request of “not developing programs conflicting with applications of Google.” This is why Samsung has reduced its own basic software in its smartphones.

Samsung Electronics and Google have built a symbiotic relationship in the smartphone industry by developing smartphones and a smartphone OS, respectively. Google has especially emphasized their partnership by actively supporting Samsung in the second patent lawsuit between Samsung Electronics and Apple.

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