We can all but confirm INQ is working on a phone built around Facebook integration due to a website slipup, but now it looks like a rumored HTC device is actually the Facebook phone. According to British website City A.M., the manufacturer plans to launch two Android “Facebook” phones at next month’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The report also says this will be a modified version of Android developed around Facebook features – messages, status updates, and the news feed will be core functions of the phone.
And that’s not all. Facebook won’t only be integrated into the OS – it’s going to be plastered all over the thing. “The high-end smartphones will bear the Facebook branding and colours,” says City A.M.
Like we originally expected, the Facebook phone will most likely be available to UK customers first.
Remember back in September when Zuckerberg tried (in vain) to put Facebook phone rumors to rest? He specifically said that the phrase “building a phone” is open to interpretation. So while his company isn’t slaving away over hardware or a new OS, Facebook isn’t content with simply being an app, and will extend its mobile platform with a little help from HTC and Android.
