I’ve heard a lot of speculations recently that there might be a Facebook phone coming soon. I highly doubt this because, quite frankly, most people already have a Facebook phone. In other words, if you have a Facebook app on your smart phone, then Facebook has already accomplished what they needed to accomplish.
Why would Facebook want to get in the hardware business anyway? There are already numerous companies doing that. Why would Facebook want to compete against the Samsungs or the iPhones or all the different models that are already in existence?
Rather, the best approach for Facebook is to get on all of the phones with their app. I think they know this too. They’re already starting to use some recent acquisitions to make sure they’re included in the phones’ latest updates. For example, in the new Android platform, they are integrating a Facebook messaging app called Messenger that’s tied to Facebook, and a Facebook photography app called Camera that’s tied to Facebook. They started with the Android, but of course this will grow to Apple and others as well.
Why should smart phone companies be so willing to work with Facebook? Because Facebook is getting bigger and more popular each day. Android, Apple, and other companies are not going to fight because they want a lot of people enjoying their product, buying it, and consuming it. And if having Facebook apps installed on every smart phone will be appealing to consumers, then these companies will listen and do it.
It’s a win-win for Facebook to stay in the software business and get as sticky as possible. It’s a much smarter move for them to expand their presence and get people to be social with their media and apps rather than to become a hardware manufacturer.
So don’t be expecting an actual Facebook phone to hit the shelves any time soon. Rather, just look at your current smart phone. You’ve probably already made it a Facebook phone.