Facebook Will Take Over Home Screens With New App to be Announced Next Week, First Partner is HTC

When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stands up in front of the press next Thursday at an Android-related event, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that he will show off a new service that will make Facebook more prominent on your device’s home screens. The social network has apparently been developing software that can take over your main home screen in order to make Facebook the first thing you see upon unlocking your device. One of their sources said it’s “putting Facebook first.” 

If you think about the tagline that was included in the press event invite – “come see our new home on Android” – this makes a lot of sense. If there is one way for Facebook to get in your face at all times, it’s to be on your main home screen. Now the question is – how much is this going to be like HTC’s BlinkFeed? Is this somewhat of a home replacement launcher that essentially turns your entire home screen into a full-blown Facebook app?

The app will reportedly be broadly available to all Android devices, but that manufacturers have to make “some tweaks” in order for this new servie to take over a home screen. That seems like contradictory points in the same sentence, however, it could just mean that OEMs will need to tweak things to be able to bake it into their skins and that there will also be a stand-alone app available.

Finally, WSJ is reporting that Facebook has been looking to partner with device makers and that HTC is unsurprisingly first. After having been rumored as the creator of the next Facebook Phone, this new home screen takeover could have been the true tale all along. They are attempting to reach agreements with other OEMs.

So to me, that sounds like Facebook has created a third party launcher that will make your phone a Facebook phone. Hopefully it’s not just a widget. Thoughts?

Via:  Wall Street Journal