Samsung/Facebook Meeting
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Oct. 14 and reportedly agreed on ways to forge a strategic partnership between the two IT giants in services and content. This is the second time for the Facebook CEO to visit the Samsung Electronics building since June 2013.
A Samsung associate said, “I think that the meeting will serve as an opportunity to increase our competitiveness in not only smartphones but also software content through our partnership with Facebook.” The official added, “As far as I know, both companies reached an agreement on cooperative measures in businesses.”
Zuckerberg reportedly explained his plan for Facebook's first foray into virtual reality devices and the content business through Oculus VR, which was bought by the social media company this year. He is also said to have made a request for close cooperation between the two companies to strengthen its business.
Specifically, he said he wants to cooperate with the Korean tech giant to penetrate the mobile market too. The CEO also reportedly showed his interest in the healthcare and mobile payment markets and exhibited his desire to partner with Samsung in those fields.
In particular, Facebook is said to be eying the healthcare business, which Samsung and Apple are both working on separately. Therefore, Zuckerberg apparently discussed a way to cooperate with the Korean company to turn its online community-based healthcare service into a money-making venture. The idea behind the healthcare service is that when users upload their heath information through a health app, other people or public organizations can share this information through social networking services.
Samsung is already providing this service through its health-tracking app “S Health” on its smartphones and the Gear series smart watches. Hence, if the Android phone maker cooperates, Facebook can enter this related business.
In addition, Zuckerberg and Lee coordinated different opinions about the release date and major specifications of a “Facebook Phone,” which was discussed on Zuckerberg's previous visit. They also seem to have discussed a way to connect Samsung's music service Milk with Facebook.