The Korea Times: Samsung asked Google if they’d like to invest in their OLED business

BY Stefan Constantinescu

Published 26 Apr 2013

According to The Korea Times, Larry Page, the CEO of Google, recently visited a Samsung OLED factory in South Korea. Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, led the tour, and he asked Page if he was interested in partnering with the company.

The exact quote:

“During the meeting with the Google CEO, I proposed the expansion of our business partnership to him. Larry Page showed interest in our OLED business.”

Let’s now think about this rationally. Samsung is, for all intents and purposes, the driving force behind Android. Without Samsung, Android wouldn’t be where it is today. Full stop. That being said, even if Google never existed, Samsung would still be the world leader in component manufacturing.

There’s a parallel here between Apple and Foxconn. Foxconn makes the world’s consumer electronics. If Apple didn’t exist, Foxconn would still be a company with over a million employees, each making you a DVD player, a toaster, whatever.

Apple buys equipment for Foxconn so they’re guaranteed a continuous supply of high end components. So is Samsung asking Google for money as a way for the company to expand their operations without negatively impacting their bottom line? Is a symbol of good faith of Samsung’s intention to stick with Android instead of using Tizen?

I’m sure someone smarter than me can think of some better theories, but yea, this news certainly falls under the “unconventional” category.