Look out Apple iPhone and Google Android. Facebook is (secretly) building a mobile phone.
But don’t think of it so much as a “phone” since that term is overused and rather outdated these days. No. Think of it in realistic terms as more of a handheld communication device, capable of the full Facebook experience, plus Internet browsing, texting — oh, and also able to make a phone call too, if need be.
It makes sense why Facebook would be looking to tap into the rich U.S. mobile market, primarily because mobile advertising is rapidly growing and is the wave of the future. Mobile ad spending in the U.S. is expected to grow 42.5% to $593 million this year, up from $416 million in 2009 and $320 million in 2008. By 2013, the mobile ad market in the country is expected to reach an estimated $1.5 billion. Which is why it’s easy to see how Facebook’s interest in developing a mobile handset would be genuine.
So what might a Facebook phone look and feel like? No one really knows for sure yet. But speculation is that it would be a lower end device, probably very affordable, and would obviously allow people to fully integrate into their Facebook account. And since today’s generation despise actual phone “conversations,” expect the device to be heavily focused on SMS/MMS and less on voice technology. Imagine “calling” your friend’s NAME, for example, instead of the old-school seven digit code? Then having the option to text or IM (via Facebook, of course), or talk to directly, if you must. Or how about paying your bills with Facebook Credits? For as powerful and popular as Facebook has become over the years, the sky is the limit with endless possible features. And since the uber rich Facebook would likely want as many handsets into as many hands as possible, a model around the $50 price range may not be too farfetched. Then, all Facebook would have to do is just convince its users that their privacy is protected (something they’ve NOT been able to do via their website), and voila! They’re in business.
