Why do we need a Facebook phone?

Forums › Social networks, social media, and tools › Why do we need a Facebook phone?

crackrdbycracku

863 posts

Ultimate Geek

Topic # 113386 15-Jan-2013 15:53
Hi All, Can somebody please explain the why anybody might build, or for that matter buy, a Facebook Phone? Yeah, I know these rumours have been around for years. It will no doubt be build by a real hardware maker such as HTC, Samsung etc making it a really a Facebook branded phone. This would be similar to the Nexus phones by Google, which are all good, except that Google is reasonably a synonym for Android. Anybody see what advantages a Facebook phone would have over a Facebook app on a phone made by ... anybody else? [Moderator edit (MF): moved to correct forum] Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

ubergeeknz

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Orcon

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Reply # 745185 15-Jan-2013 16:09
Most likely it'll be an Android phone with some kind of UI "enhancement" that makes Facebook a default for things (photos auto uploaded, easy to post updates, etc etc). I'm going to call it already - it will be crap, and therefore an utter flop.

mattwnz

4239 posts

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Reply # 745191 15-Jan-2013 16:20
I am not a fan of facebook, so I hope there isn't such a thing. I see facebook usage in the UK has dropped 2%, so it may have reached a plateau

MikeSkyrme

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Reply # 745203 15-Jan-2013 16:31
If the device is a Facebook device, would that in turn mean that all information stored on, or passed through the device would be made available to Facebook? Michael Skyrme - Instrumentation & Controls

nakedmolerat

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Reply # 745213 15-Jan-2013 16:56
^ One can only speculate until the product is launched... Facebook on its own is huge. Look at every smartphone out there. Each platform has Facebook app. It is a no brainer for Facebook to enter the phone market.

crackrdbycracku

863 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 745216 15-Jan-2013 17:02
nakedmolerat: Each platform has Facebook app. I think that is the point, if every phone has a Facebook app, why have a 'Facebook phone'? Yeah, but the most used app on my phone is IMBD. I use it all the time but I don't want an IMBD phone. Every phone has Facebook, I think the question is how could the hardware make Facebook better? Beats me. Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

mattwnz

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Reply # 745220 15-Jan-2013 17:13
crackrdbycracku: Every phone has Facebook, I think the question is how could the hardware make Facebook better? . I refuse to install facebook on my phone, twitter only. If they subsidise the phone, then that is a different story. But then again google probably isn't much better, as they have ads thoughout the apps such as maps. Facebooks terms aren't good either. Their instagram ones supposedly meant that they could potentially reuse your own images in their adverts or make them available to third parties, even though you actually own the photos. Not sure of the actual facebook ones, but I think they are pretty open ended and vague, as to what they can do with the stuff you post.

insane

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Reply # 745221 15-Jan-2013 17:19
This will probably be as successful as their IPO

mattwnz

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Reply # 745223 15-Jan-2013 17:24
insane: This will probably be as successful as their IPO There share price has risen quite a bit recently though. Not to the launch price yet, but still quite high compared to the lows.

mckenndk

561 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 745232 15-Jan-2013 17:31
The only good Facebook phone will be one that has good hardware, subsidized and I can flash the latest version of android onto it. Dion The cup is over engineered

ubergeeknz

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Reply # 745243 15-Jan-2013 18:02
mckenndk: The only good Facebook phone will be one that has good hardware, subsidized and I can flash the latest version of android onto it. Hehe, QFT

Wade

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Reply # 745274 15-Jan-2013 19:02
What would happen if Facebook decided to go down some form of built in voip client path? Limit that functionality to facebook phone only and I am sure you would get more than a few keen kids jump ship

Kyanar

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Reply # 745589 16-Jan-2013 11:25
Facebook already has a built in VoIP client - Skype.

ajobbins

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Reply # 745592 16-Jan-2013 11:27
Q: Why do we need a Facebook phone? A: We don't! Twitter: ajobbins