The world’s largest social network has been quietly
developing software that would make smart phones look and function more
like its online service, according to a source familiar with the
project.
Facebook issued a statement Monday denying it was
“building a phone” but left open the possibility for deeper ties with
handset makers and carriers. Facebook already has more than 150 million
users logging on through their mobile devices.
But Facebook, which has more than 500 million users,
wants to have as big an effect on mobile devices as it does on the Web,
the source said, noting that six months ago Facebook engineer
who created the company’s immensely popular iPhone application,
launched a “super-secret” project to make mobile phone software based
on
Right now, Facebook users can download an
application to their mobile devices to access the social network. But
with the new software, smart-phone users would be able to use their
lists of Facebook friends to make calls, send text messages and use
location-based services. The software would ultimately allow Facebook
to target ads to mobile users and enable them to make payments through
Facebook credits.
The move would heighten competition with
both of which have their own mobile phone platforms and are trying to
push deeper into social networking. Apple recently rolled out Ping and
the Game Center.
Facebook has lined up engineers with mobile experience, including Hewitt;
A profile of Facebook founder
Analysts say it’s a daring gambit even for a company
with Facebook’s brand reach. But Facebook’s huge subscriber base gives
it an edge as it leaps into the already saturated smart-phone market,
said
“They have half a billion users lined up — that’s a powerful, loyal
subscriber base, and it puts them in a very interesting position.”
Rumors of a Facebook phone have circulated in
and other companies introduced their own branded devices. Technology
blog TechCrunch first reported on Facebook’s latest mobile ambitions
over the weekend.
A Facebook phone would add another contender to the contentious smart-phone power struggle between Apple,
“
wants to be everywhere, and Facebook is the same way. It wants to help
you interact with your friends no matter where you are,”
Apple has tightly controlled what can go on its devices, whereas
directly profit from sales of phones that use Android, which it gives
away. But the company is able to more easily advertise products and
services to those users.
Devices running Android surprised mobile industry
observers by capturing a substantial slice of the smart-phone market
this year, even outselling
According to online research firm
phones have won market share from Apple and market leader RIM, rising
from 12 percent to 17 percent in the three months that ended in July,
while Apple (23.8 percent) and RIM (39.3 percent) both dropped more
than 1 percentage point. There are now 54 million smart-phone users in
the U.S.,
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