Mark Zuckerberg denies Facebook phone rumors, emphasizes mobile OS integration

Today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg denied reports from earlier this week claiming Facebook and HTC were preparing to launch a co-branded Android smartphone sometime next year. Speaking to investors and the media during the company’s Q2 2012 earnings call, Zuckerberg echoed comments made by Facebook representatives over two years ago, saying “There are lots of things that you can build in other operating systems as well, that aren’t really building out a whole phone, which really wouldn’t make much sense for us to do.” Instead of working on a dedicated device, Zuckerberg said that the company is focused on deeper integration with existing mobile platforms, such as the built-in sharing tools announced for iOS 6.

I think we’re much closer to the beginning than the end in terms of what we can do with the apps we use today. They’re relatively basic compared to what we think anyone could imagine they’d want from their Facebook experience on a phone.

While Facebook could change its tune about developing a dedicated device sometime in the future, it seems like the company is sticking to its guns for now.