Rumors of a Facebook phone have lingered since a 2010 , but they may finally come to a head later this week. Members of the media received an invite to an April 4 event at Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., that simply reads, “Come see our new home on Android.”
While some doubt the viability of a Facebook phone, the social network says that more than 650 million people now access Facebook through a mobile device. It makes sense that Facebook wants itself at the front and center of people’s mobile experience to drive additional advertising revenue; recent updates to the Facebook News Feed were specifically aimed to make the Web experience more consistent with mobile. A full-on Facebook Phone seems to be the next logical step.
It it seems clear that HTC will manufacture the physical phone. This is consistent with several reports, and HTC previously worked with Facebook to develop the Cha Cha, an unsuccessful phone that pushed social integration with a dedicated Facebook button. Android Police reports that the Facebook phone will feature a 4.3-inch, 720p screen, a 5-pixel primary camera, a 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera, and no microSD slot. Essentially, the phone looks to be a mid-range HTC phone from a hardware standpoint.
Facebook can supplement cell service with its own calling program, it could provide an affordable, no-contract-required alternative to other cell phones.
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