Mark Zuckerberg’s first post-IPO interview proved a low key affair.
At a TechCrunch event, the Facebook CEO said his company’s stock performance had been “disappointing” but did not address controversy over allegedly withheld guidance in the run up to the float.
(Facebook shares [NAS:FB] closed at $US19.43 today to give the social network a market cap of $US41.6 billion; the company’s shares listed at $US38.)
Mr Zuckerberg did address rumours that Facebook would release its own phone, possibly through buying Nokia.
"The phone just doesn't make any sense," the Facebook CEO said.
Mr Zuckerberg also had a mobile tip for web developers and app publishers.
"The biggest mistake we made as a company is betting too much on HTML5 as opposed to native [iPhone and Android apps],” the CEO said.
HTML apps would run on almost any smartphone, but Facebook had never got the quality it wanted.
After working on HTML5 for two years, Facebook had to start over and re-write native apps -- which we're seeing now. “It's probably the biggest strategic mistake we've made,” Mr Zuckerberg said.
The Facebook CEO added, “I basically live on my mobile phone.”
He wrote the founder’s letter for Facebook’s IPO on his phone, he said – a fact that, in hindsight, might not impress all of the social network’s investors.
NBR staff
Wed, 12 Sep 2012
Wed, 12 Sep 2012
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Zuckerberg cops to mobile blunder in first post-IPO interview
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