Facebook Appears Set to Debut iPhone Competitor Built on Android on April 4

it may be just an application on the phone ,, facebook on phone

retroneo said:

However android allows deeper integration so Google's attempts to keep Facebook out really will backfire.

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What attempts to keep Facebook out? Android has had the necessary API for integration since the start, it is up to developers to use it.

Love to see the new look of facebook

johncrab said:

I suspect Apple has slowed down its roll-out of new products temporarily to catch its breath but also to slow down competitors who do nothing but copy Apple ideas ahead of the drop-dead date for getting new products ready for the Christmas season. It's a smart move on both counts. Get your competitors to commit to older tech and then leap forward.

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Huh?

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kdarling said:

I also believe it's a launcher, which fits with "New Home".

Not only does that instantly give it the ability to run on millions of already owned devices, but the devices can be upgraded independently.

Moreover, if FB is smart, they'll have a really nice tablet version using all the extra space.

This could be a killer launcher app for Teens and Grandparents, and sell tons of Android phones and tablets.

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Is FB still a big thing for teens?

Oletros said:

If they call it Android they are not forking it

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Rumors say they're calling it Facebook Home and not using the Android trademark. Then again maybe it's just a launcher.

Biggest thing is HTC would be in trouble if it was a fork. But I also think it makes good sense for FB to distance itself from Google as much as possible and using a fork does that.

Update: This is pretty interesting. The rumor here is FB's ultimate goal is to have FB baked into Android like it is in iOS and they're trying to do it by courting the OEM's. HTC is the first OEM they've courted and it's not a fork either - more like a deeply integrated app/skin. This makes a lot more sense.

When you fully integrate a software app that basically becomes part of the phone's OS, you run the risk of that phone becoming obsolete overnight if that company in question fails.

I think this is a bad idea, but we'll find out more in a few days time.

What Apple does with 3rd party apps is good enough, and Apple can quite easily remove them if the company that makes the app goes belly up without lobotomising the phone's OS

Nahaz said:

When you fully integrate a software app that basically becomes part of the phone's OS, you run the risk of that phone becoming obsolete overnight if that company in question fails.

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If it is a launcher then it is not part of the OS

No fork.

Just another Google sanctioned Android device.

http://9to5google.com/2013/04/03/facebook-home-offers-a-fresh-take-on-android-ui-images/