Techcrunch has a scoop that Facebook is in the midst of developing its own mobile phone. No full details yet, and it could either be a big scale mobile app or an actual Facebook device with its own custom OS.
According to the article, Facebook is concerned that the mobile landscape being heavily dominated by iPhones and Android which prompted them to do something about it. They have 2 high level employees, Joe Hewitt and Matthew Papakipos that had experience working with Firefox and Google Chrome OS respectively. The duo are believed to be linked to this secret mobile project and they are capable in developing OS particularly mobile.
So do we really need another Mobile OS when most of them have Facebook integrated already? Apparently this facebook mobile platform may not necessary compete with the giants head on. It could be a cheap mobile device with Facebook heavily integrated that’s easily within reach of the masses. We’re thinking along the lines of Nokia’s entry level Social Networking phones like the Nokia C3.
Another speculation is that Facebook could be hooking up with INQ, a social networking mobile device maker which is invested by Li-Ka Shing. The same tycoon also runs 3 Mobile, and he also happens to invest in Facebook too. So this could be another possibility of 3 Mobile, INQ and Facebook partnership for a dedicated FB phone. Perfect Software + Hardware + Network combination, don’t you think? It is too early to tell now but lets see how it goes.
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