“Facebook Home, the new software that takes over the front screen of a smartphone, is a bit of a corporate home invasion. Facebook is essentially moving into Google’s turf, taking advantage of software the search giant and competitor created,” Peter Svensson reports for The Associated Press. “Home will operate on phones running Google Inc.’s Android software and present Facebook status updates, messages and other content on the home screen, rather than making the user fire up Facebook’s app. The software will be available for users to download on April 12 and will come preloaded on a new phone from HTC Corp., sold by AT&T Inc. in the U.S.”
“Google gives away Android in the hope that it will steer phone users toward Google services, such as Maps and Gmail, and the ads it sells. Compared with ads targeting PC surfers, mobile ads are a small market, but it’s growing quickly. Research firm eMarketer expects U.S. mobile ad spending to grow 77 percent this year to $7.29 billion,” Svensson reports. “With Home, Facebook Inc. is inserting itself between users and Google, diverting them to the social network’s own ads and services. It’s taking advantage of the fact that Google places few restrictions on how phone manufacturers and software developers modify Android. By contrast, Home would not work on the iPhone without approval from Apple Inc., and close collaboration with the company.”
Svensson reports, “‘Facebook Home can only reside on Android because only Google was daft enough to allow it,’ independent phone analyst Horace Dediu said via Twitter.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “Open.”
‘Tis only justice (and with the molasses-like speed of the worlds’ legal systems, likely to be only kind of justice we’ll ever see) that somebody steals Google Android’s “experience,” stolen as it were, straight out of Apple’s boardroom.
A “den of thieves” and all that; a pile of writhing snakes.
Poetic!
Open always beats closed!!!!
So, obviously you always leave the toilet door open when you are playing with your crap… er. Android phone while sitting on the crapper? And driving down the street with you doors open and seat belts dangling “open” is the way you roll? Maybe in your case, open always beats closed… Have you ever fwapped with an open hand? Tell me how well that works, wanker.
Please tell me when you are playing poker. I’ll keep my hand closed and you yours open. Let’s see who beats who…
Exactly. As I said before, Google and Facebook deserve each other. Nice call there Horace!
May FB steer the Android masses into there world and fork Google in the wallet with fewer ads.
“Their.” Correct spelling enhances credibility.
More fragmentation they can have it!!
hey Larry, how well is that doin’ for ya, now that Zucker just screw
Android. Now open wide, so Zucker can keep on coming. LOL
Facebook is a morbid thing.
They should have named it “Cleaners” as in taking Google to the cleaners!
The enemy of my enemy is my friend . . . nah, Zuckerberg is still an a-hole. But I am enjoying this
If FB Home becomes a compelling reason to buy a phone then it’s not good for Apple, either.
Google will eventually abandon Android. But now if they do it’s Facebook that might take the reins.
Shouldn’t be long before Samsung and Baidu bury Android under a localized OS.