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New Facebook-Branded Android Coming?

Posted by timothy on from the oh-did-you-want-those-calls-chronologically? dept.

Earthquake Retrofit writes "The Register reports that 'Facebook has sent out invitations to an event at its Menlo Park headquarters next week that many believe will see the launch of a new, Facebook-branded smartphone...' I have lately become disillusioned with Google having so much power over my phone and the usual privacy concerns, so this announcement means I now have a choice. Oh, wait..."

3 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. So, by Georules · · Score: 5, Insightful

    who actually wants this?

  2. And the usual privacy concerns? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hilarious, a lot of the creepy Google privacy concerns are there because they've seen how far Facebook pushes the envelope and think they can too.

    I'm under no doubt Facebooks phone will be sending constant tracking data to Facebook and they'll sell that data to anyone who wants it for any reason, and simply bury some button down in the privacy settings that defaults to consent.

  3. Human beings? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    " Remember, we're addressing over a billion human beings at Facebook."

    http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/united-states

    I think that's unlikely, Facebooks users represent 71% of US internet users... which is basically impossible, more likely 20% accounts, 20% fake accounts, 20% dead accounts, 11% robots.

    Similar problem with their UK numbers, they claim 29 million active users... out of 43 million UK Internet users. Unlikely.

    I'm kind of suspicious of FB, their numbers don't add up and they keep getting caught and admitting a little bit of their scams.

    e.g. The 'likes' problem, BBC has researched quite a few of these games. e.g. their virtual bagel company seemed to be getting fake likes from the advert despite doing nothing at all, and being a fake company:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18870170

    Or the US researcher who spotted they were incrementing likes for comments:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19832043

    Why would they need to do that if they have 71% of Internet users???? Dodgy.

    So they'll come out with a phone that does Facebook (that would be all phones now), with Microsoft services (Bing etc.) yet that's what the Nokia phone is and its not selling, so why would FB's? I'm sure the phones Facebook page will get a lot of likes mind you!