Facebook and smartphone, are two addictive requirements that a person might not want to leave out in today’s world. It was earlier even rumored that Facebook has been planning to come up with a phone from its own warehouse. Finally, the news is getting an extended hand as All Things D sourced that Facebook would have its own phone, which is expected to hit the markets in 12 to 18 months. It would partner Taiwan’s HTC and would run on Android.
AllThingsD said that the social networking giant has opted to go with HTC as its partner to build on, which would be a heavily molded Android phone that “has the social network integrated at the core of its being.” Uniquely, the project is code named ”Buffy”.
Facebook had plans to come up with its own smartphone for quite some time, but it partnered HTC only recently. Samsung was definitely the other potential manufacturer in the running.
Noting the detailing on the said project, if one cites “sources familiar with the project,” it can be noted that the project is being run by Facebook CTO Bret Taylor. Facebook has been working on Google’s Android mobile operating system, which the company “has tweaked heavily to deeply integrate its services, as well as to support HTML5 as a platform for applications.”
Facebook’s assumed main intention is to build a handset, which is specifically tailored for the social networking platform.
This handset would have core Facebook integration, which has more than 80 million members, which is “at the core of its being.”
AllThingsD noted that when a Facebook spokesperson was asked to comment on the “Buffy” project, he declined to comment on it directly, but said, “Our mobile strategy is simple: We think every mobile device is better if it is deeply social.” He further made a point that proved the claim’s impression. He said, “We’re working across the entire mobile industry; with operators, hardware manufacturers, OS providers, and application developers to bring powerful social experiences to more people around the world.”
Till now, most on the Facebook integrated devices basically had a dedicated Facebook button, along with a number of integrations with the social networking site, which were running on the Android OS. This level of partnership saw Facebook partnering with HTC, Vodafone, Motorola and Huawei.
But those devices had limited integration and Facebook intends to break the restrictions with devices having core Facebook integration. Again, the other essentials of the device would even be altered to suit a Facebook user’s needs. Contacts, camera, games and applications would be a part of the device, but it would be altered accordingly to make it work in tandem with Facebook account of the user.
Facebook’s activeness on mobiles is too high and this move could help Facebook’s presence, especially in the Asian markets, where a moderate priced device with Facebook integration would suit good. However, even in the U.S. and U.K. it might get a number of customers, who are heavily addicted to Facebook.
Again, a Facebook and Google integrated device could mean a lot to a user. Android powered devices are integrated with Google’s services, may it be Gmail, Search or any other service Google offers.