Facebook To Reveal A Custom Version of Android For an Upcoming HTC Device

[Darkness.]

http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/29/4160886/facebook-skinned-version-of-android-rumored-for-upcoming-event

Rumors indicate that Facebook's upcoming event scheduled for April 4th will reveal an HTC-made phone running a version of Android customized to deeply integrate the social network's services. The New York Times reports that the main announcement at the event will be this Facebook-focused version of Android, which will replace the typical homescreen with the user's main Facebook page. Additionally, the default camera and messaging apps will be replaced by Facebook's own apps for the two services, which are already available on other Android devices.

The New York Times report, which cites a Facebook employee familiar with the company's plans, expands on rumors The Wall Street Journal published earlier this morning. It's not yet clear if this will be merely a skinned version of Android like Samsung's TouchWiz or if it will be a fork off of Android — an approach Amazon opted for with the Kindle Fire. The Journal refers to the rumored new features as an app, while the Times discusses a "version of Android." It's possible Facebook will offer an alternative launcher, which would replace the main Android screens and the app drawer with features suited to the social network. Both reports imply that this Facebook-focused version of Android will be available on devices other than this yet-to-be-announced HTC phone, suggesting users may be able to enable it on other devices.

[Rayquaza]

I'm not too sure what the point of it is. When you tailor Android to one companies own needs, it becomes awful. I mean, look at the Kindle Fire for example, the app store is rubbish and it doesn't allow the full customization that Android offers. With this, I'm guessing it'll download loads of your facebook photos and store them on the phone, as well as needing an always-on data connection. Replacing messages with Facebook Messenger is quite dumb, and what is the point of the facebook camera? It's slow and takes a long time to start up. Why HTC is doing this makes no sense to me, HTC release phone after phone and never update their old devices.

...and not a single mention of twitter whatsoever, even though this is supposed to be a social networking phone. Facebook just want you for themselves, to use only their services and to commit.

[karl]

A Facebook homescreen and ‘launcher’ for a range of Android phones is likely to be launched on Thursday.

The company’s ‘new home on Android’ will put “Facebook first”, sources told the Wall Street Journal. It is widely expected to centre around a new Facebook homescreen that will turn the social network's Android app into a core smartphone component.
Software leaked to Android Police appears to show that while HTC is expected to unveil a mid-range ‘Facebook phone’ on Thursday night in California, the new features will also be available to Samsung phones as well as to those running standard Android. With Samsung increasingly dominant among Android manufacturers, such an approach would give Facebook access to a far greater market than if it simply limited its new services to a single device.


Full story here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/9966395/Facebook-plans-mobile-phone-takeover.html

[ImCoolBeans]

I've merged these threads since they are the same topic.