Facebook recently revealed plans of launching the Facebook Home on smartphones created by Apple and Microsoft. The popular social networking website is apparently in negotiations with both companies for the new interface, which is touted to release on the iPhone as well as Windows Phone in the near future. Facebook’s director of products, Adam Mosseri, laid rest to the rumour mill whilst stating that nothing has yet been finalized.
In a statement made to Bloomberg, Mosseri said that the company has merely exhibited its new product to Microsoft and Apple. He also stated that Apple’s version of Facebook Home would look different and would also be named differently to the Android version, which was released on the HTC First recently. He was unsure whether Facebook would bring in a few of its own design values to the iOS version or whether it would merely build a new lock-screen.
Facebook Home is a launcher application for Android smartphones that contains a set of applications that together act as a skin or a theme. This helps a user add a personalized view of his/her Facebook account to the lock-screens of supported Android devices while enjoying enhanced Facebook functionality and integration throughout the interface. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the Facebook Home’s release this month that the company wants to see Facebook integrated into most Android devices, which would be a direct result of partnerships and joint ventures. He reiterated his desire to work with Apple while pointing out the great relationship that Facebook and Apple have shared in the past. In regard to Android, he stated that working with Google was not necessary for the social network because Android provides an open network for developers to create applications.
Facebook Home has been touted as the social networking giant’s way of creating an increased presence in the mobile world without creating hardware to specifically support it. Home allows the company to rule the home and lock screens and replaces them with News Feed or photo slides from a users’ Facebook profile. This may cause an issue with Apple since the company has been highly protective of its operating system in the past and may not allow another developer to usurp so much control over it.
