Early this morning, TechCrunch reported that Facebook is secretly working on building “Facebook Phone”. The rumor got little bit more interesting as Silicon Alley Insider reported that Facebook Phone will run on Android “For Sure”.
Facebook: We are not building phone
Facebook representative denied the rumor on Facebook Phone to Mashable and gave the following “denial” statement on TechCrunch’s report on Facebook Phone.
The story, which originated in Techcrunch, is not accurate. Facebook is not building a phone. Our approach has always been to make phones and apps more social. Current projects include include everything from an HTML5 version of the site to apps on major platforms to full Connect support with SDKs to deeper integrations with some manufacturers. Our view is that almost all experiences would be better if they were social, so integrating deeply into existing platforms and operating systems is a good way to enable this. For an example, check out Connect for iPhone and the integration we have with contact syncing through our iPhone app. Another example is the INQ1 phone with Facebook integration (the first so-called ‘Facebook Phone’). The people mentioned in the story are working on these projects. The bottom line is that whenever we work on a deep integration, people want to call it a ‘Facebook Phone’ because that’s such an attractive soundbite, but building phones is just not what we do.
Facebook Is Not Working On A Phone Just Like Google Was Not Working On A Phone
TechCrunch stuck to its report by saying its sources are not wrong about Facebook Phone in a post titled “Facebook Is Not Working On A Phone Just Like Google Was Not Working On A Phone”.
If you are confused on whom to believe, Facebook or TechCrunch, TechCrunch offered the best possible induction argument on who might be saying the truth.
In 2007, Google said it wasn’t working on a Google Phone. In 2009, Google said it wasn’t working on its own branded phone. In 2008, Microsoft said it wasn’t working on a Zune Phone. Leading up to the iPhone unveiling, we heard an Apple phone wasn’t coming. Guess what? All those projects were very real. And the Facebook Phone project will prove to be no different.
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