A Facebook Phone? Powered by Android?

[JohnDroid]

For the past couple of days there has been much speculation floating around about a possible Facebook phone. It really got me thinking...

What does that even mean: a Facebook phone? A phone manufactured by Facebook? An Operating System done by Facebook? Even more Facebook integration into an existing platform?

Some additional digging and trying to read between the lines from the Techcrunch / Zuckerberg interview seem to point at an Android powered device manufactured by INQ with deep Facebook+Spotify integration. The first versions are rumored to run on AT&T's network here in the US with potentially other carriers following afterwards.

My question is, what type of compelling difference can Facebook over to set themselves apart from the rest of the Android world. Do we even _want_ them to try to differentiate themselves in a meaningful way and fragment the market even more? Would the consumer be better off asking Facebook to devote their considerable resources to a better Facebook application for Android that would benefit all users?

The problem with all this speculation is that it leads to many more questions then it can answer. I'd like to hear from our membership what kind of features they would expect from a Facebook phone that would make it something worthy of your hard earned dollars. Personally I can't think of much more integration I really want in my phone with Facebook then I already have.

What are your thoughts and suggestions to Facebook?

(Additional Sources: Gizmodo, GigaOm, Bloomberg)

 

[IanG]

Hasn't Facebook already completely denied they're making a phone? I thought they're trying to make an extremely strong presence in the software aspect, not the hardware?

 

[cereal killer]

Correct they wont be in the business of developing a phone.



Sent from my Droid

 

[gonnadie4thegov]

Hey now money talks, even if its another brand who is going to run android and put their very heavy version of blur/sense/etc and focus it around facebook and give facebook money to do this, why wouldn't they?

And yes please please please make the terrible app better. If i wanted every selection i make in the app to open my web browser and then go to terrible "touch facebook" then id just use the browser.

 

[RETG]

Facebook won't make a phone...
Politicians won't lie to you....
It's in the mail....
Yes I do....
etc., etc.,

But more importantly, who would purchase one? Of course, I'm the type of person who asks, "why do people put all their information for the world to see on facebook."dancedroid

 

[JohnDroid]

Facebook has denied _making_ a phone but not that they may have a Facebook branded phone utilizing a modified version of Android. In fact, in the Zuckerberg interview he had tons of times he could have denied it and instead tip-toed around it.

 

[parker34]

I think they need to spend a little more time on their app before they go all in to an os :icon_eek:

 

[jbdavies]

I read about the possibility of this from Time. They said it could possibly be Android... but then said it would most likely be Microsoft... since Microsoft owns part of Facebook (according to Time Magazine).

Personally... I think it's a waste. They should just make the app better then waste their time on an entire phone... which will probably suck.

 

[carlz28]

Facebook has denied _making_ a phone but not that they may have a Facebook branded phone utilizing a modified version of Android. In fact, in the Zuckerberg interview he had tons of times he could have denied it and instead tip-toed around it.

That's what I took from the interview.
Facebook won't be "manufacturing" the phone simply because Facebook doesn't have cell phone maufacturing facility.
But it certainly doesn't remove the idea that it could be a Facebook "branded' phone.
I believe that will ultimately be the the case.
Just like Myspace had their own phone awhile back....but ran on some other network. You could get unlimited text, data, and calls for X amount of dollars...etc etc.

Options are good, but sometimes tooooo may option is a bad thing.
I guess everyone just wants to get in on the profits.