Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Development
    • Development
    • IT Management
    • Mobile
    • Networking

    Facebook Phone Should Be Google Voice, Skype Rival

    By
    Clint Boulton
    -
    September 21, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Industry experts are torn on the idea that Facebook is building a social networking phone to compete with Google and Apple in the mobile Web.

      TechCrunch ignited the blogosphere Sept. 20 when it reported the company was building a mobile operating system and other software to host on a handset made by hardware makers such as HTC or Motorola.

      Google tried this approach with HTC. Google designed the Android software and other applications for the ill-fated Nexus One smartphone and failed trying to sell the device solely online.

      Facebook denied that it is building a phone, providing a detailed explanation of how it provides applications and services that mesh well with devices, platforms and carriers.

      Analysts polled by eWEEK offered different takes on the notion. Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin said he couldn’t see any reason why a Facebook phone makes sense, noting that INQ and 3 failed to gain traction with their attempts at a Facebook phone two years ago.

      “Facebook is already one of the most popular and highly used applications across all smartphone platforms,” Golvin told eWEEK.

      “Those applications focus tens of millions of Facebook users at Facebook multiple times a day; why would a consumer want a Facebook-branded phone when their existing phone already connects them seamlessly to their social network?”

      Ditto for Golvin’s colleague at Forrester, Augie Ray, who said:

      “Since the world is not asking for a Facebook phone and there is no compelling technical reason for Facebook to have its own phone, the question becomes whether or not the Facebook name on a phone would help sell phones and generate revenue.”

      “At this point, I see more compelling business opportunities for Facebook than launching their own mobile hardware.”

      Altimeter Group analyst Jeremiah Owyang was somewhat more receptive to the idea. He noted that because Facebook’s mission is to extend profile information and social connections across the Web, it makes sense for them to create a mobile OS where their various existing primary features, and third applications can be built on top of and spread.

      “We’ll know this is successful when consumers are able to dial their friends by using their Facebook address book,” Owyang said. “Expect Facebook to develop a mobile operating system and other software connections–not focus on hardware as the first move.”

      Facebook Phone Might Be Better Served Soft

      Independent analyst Rob Enderle found the move to be a bit of a Catch-22 that the advantage of taking the application route, which it currently does with mobile apps for the iPhone and Android operating system, is that the company ends up where people are. And that’s Facebook’s raison d ‘etre.

      However, this is also means they are subject to the whims of the platforms of their competitors.

      “By doing your own phone (with partners like HTC and Microsoft) you don’t strengthen your competitors and you can focus on the things you think a customer of yours might like and avoid increasing your competitors’ strength over them by your own actions,” Enderle reasoned.

      “The difficulty is clearly that this is not a business Facebook knows and the strength of this will be in their partners. But who would have believed that either Google or Apple would be successful here a few years ago?”

      Enderle, who said he would have to see the device to decide whether this is a good move, raises a fair point.

      While RIM, Apple and Google have emerged as something of a three-horse race for mobile platforms in the United States, this market is still young and fluctuating. Just a year ago, the Android market share was barely worth mentioning and now it has set its sights on Apple’s iPhone share.

      Perhaps what might be more useful for Facebook and its 500 million users in the near term is the addition of VOIP (Voice over IP) capabilities to the Facebook.com Website and mobile app itself.

      Just as Facebook enables users to chat live with friends, Facebook could perhaps add calling and video capabilities, similar to Google Chat, Google Talk, Call Phones from Gmail and Skype’s multi-layered PC-to-PC and PC-to-mobile calling services.

      Facebook might even try its own version of a phone management application, akin to Google Voice. This is the sort of functionality that Facebook users would embrace.

      If the majority of users are socializing with family friends and colleagues through Facebook, the next logical step is to increase the communications capabilities from simple text messaging to voice and video contact.

      That would satisfy users and keep them from going to Google for Web services Facebook doesn’t currently provide, such as Google Voice or Call Phones from Gmail.

      Thus, a Facebook “soft phone” would be every bit as valuable as a branded Facebook phone.

      Clint Boulton

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×