Mark Zuckerberg uses Galaxy S23 Ultra at Meta Connect 2023 event
At the recent Meta Connect 2023 event, Mark Zuckerberg introduced some new products of the company such as the virtual reality headset Quest 3 and the chatbot Meta AI. The interesting point in this event was that Mark Zuckerberg used the Galaxy S23 Ultra to showcase the chatbot AI of Meta.
Mark Zuckerberg uses Galaxy S23 Ultra to showcase features
At the event, Mark Zuckerberg used two Galaxy S23 Ultra devices and one of them was connected by the CEO with a Type-C DisplayPort cable to project onto the screen. In addition, while Mark Zuckerberg was interacting with the new AI avatars of Meta, the news site SamMobile also discovered that the CEO was using the Samsung Default Keyboard instead of other keyboard models such as Gboard, Microsoft Swiftkey.
I’m not sure why Mark Zuckerberg uses Galaxy S23 Ultra at Meta Event 2023, but it might have something to do with Apple’s decision to stop tracking user for ads on iPhones. Apple introduced a new feature called App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5, which apps to request permission from users before tracking their activity across other apps and websites. This functionality has been criticized by Facebook and other marketers that rely on cross-platform tracking to target and assess the performance of their ads. Facebook even launched a campaign to condemn Apple’s decision, alleging that it will harm small businesses and free internet.
By using Galaxy S23 Ultra, I believe Mark Zuckerberg is attempting to express his support for Samsung, one of Apple’s main competitors in the smartphone market. Samsung also has its own advertising platform, called Samsung Ads, which uses data from Samsung devices and smart TVs to deliver personalized ads. Samsung Ads claims to offer a better alternative to iOS 14.5, as it does not require users to opt-in for tracking. Samsung also has a partnership with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to integrate Meta’s social VR platform, Horizon, into Samsung’s VR headset, Gear VR4.
Therefore, Mark Zuckerberg may have picked the Galaxy S23 Ultra to highlight Meta’s chatbot AI and other capabilities in order to demonstrate his partnership with Samsung and unhappiness with Apple. However, this is simply my guess based on what I saw on the internet. I cannot confirm the actual motives of Mark Zuckerberg or the impact of his choice on the smartphone industry.
