Rumor: Facebook is Working on a Phone OS
The 2 prominent mobile operating systems: iOS from Apple and Android from Google, are slowly getting to social network area with PING and Google Me, that would make Facebook nervous thinking its mobile apps on those networks might not be enough to be competitive in the long run.
The phone OS certainly gets more direct control your address book, your call log, your location, your apps, your games, etc.. It would make sense that Facebook start looking into making its own mobile OS to further control its ecosystem.
TechCrunch reports: Two high level Facebook employees – Joe Hewitt (ex Mozilla Firefox) and Matthew Papakipos (ex Google Chrome OS) – are said to be secretly working on the project, which is unknown even to most Facebook staff. What the author did not mention the recent departure of Erick Tseng, former Android Senior Product Manager. Tseng joint Facebook "to help innovate at the intersect of mobile and social".
With Google stock stagnated and the promising Facebook IPO is around the corner, many key talented engineers would leave to find greener pasture.
Let us know what you think?
[Via TechCrunch]
Facebook answers: via Mashable:
“The story, which originated in Techcrunch, is not accurate. Facebook is not building a phone. Our approach has always been to make phones and apps more social. Current projects include include everything from an HTML5 version of the site to apps on major platforms to full Connect support with SDKs to deeper integrations with some manufacturers. Our view is that almost all experiences would be better if they were social, so integrating deeply into existing platforms and operating systems is a good way to enable this. For an example, check out Connect for iPhone and the integration we have with contact syncing through our iPhone app. Another example is the INQ1 phone with Facebook integration (the first so-called ‘Facebook Phone’). The people mentioned in the story are working on these projects. The bottom line is that whenever we work on a deep integration, people want to call it a “Facebook Phone” because that’s such an attractive soundbite, but building phones is just not what we do.”
I was surprised to know about Facebook phone an it seems like a great idea..
Atleast we can expect free phone call between Facebook users
But again Mashable move one step ahead of techcrunch and confirmed that this is just a rumor.!! Sigh!!
TechCrunch’s counterpoint
http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/19/facebook-phone/
Facebook definitely denied about building any such hardware inhouse, but that doesn’t means that they are not working with some partner to build the phone for them like Google did with HTC for nexus one.
Check this out: http://www.buzzingup.com/2010/09/facebook-denies-of-building-its-own-facebook-mobile-phone/
CNET: “CNET has confirmed that the social-networking giant has reached out to hardware manufacturers and carriers seeking input on a potential Facebook-branded phone.”
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20016916-93.html