Facebook has reportedly hired more than half a dozen former Apple engineers as part of renewed efforts to build an own-brand smartphone. According to a recent report from The New York Times, the hires are comprised of former hardware and software engineers who worked on the iPhone, and one engineer who worked on the iPad. Why the renewed interest in a Facebook phone? “Mark is worried that if he doesn’t create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platfor...

Along with an iPhone nano and an iPad mini, rumors of a “Facebook phone” have repeatedly piqued interest as they come and go. The first round of reports surfaced in 2010, but was shot down when Facebook denied that it was working on its own smartphone with hardware and software partner HTC. The handsets that were thought to be Facebook phones ended up being unveiled the following month as the HTC Chacha and HTC Salsa, but consumers weren’t terribly interested in mid-range Android phones with...

Rumors surrounding a possible Facebook phone have been swirling for years, and the social networking giant has repeatedly denied reports that it is planning to launch an own-brand handset. While a number of industry watchers thought the company would fare well with a Facebook phone, a recent survey suggests that consumers are largely uninterested in a Facebook-branded smartphone. Baird Equity recently surveyed 875 consumers and found that just 12% said they were “very interested” or at least R...

Thanks in part to the multitude of mobile apps available across every smartphone platform, consumers seem to be uninterested in the own-brand handset Facebook is reportedly developing — security concerns may be an issue as well, of course. According to a recent report, Facebook is working with HTC on a new smartphone code-named “Buffy” that will feature a customized version of the Android operating system with deep Facebook integration. The Wall Street Journal’s AllThingsD blog recently co...

Last year, there were plenty of rumors that Facebook was working on building a phone of its own. Ultimately, a pair of humdrum devices with a simple “Facebook button” ended up hitting the market, and the rumors stopped… until now. On Monday, AllThingsD said it has learned that Facebook is working closely with HTC on a new phone currently codenamed “Buffy.” The device will supposedly run a modified version of Android that, obviously, will put Facebook’s services smack in th...

Motorola on Friday quietly published images and details to its website surrounding the MOTOKEY SOCIAL, a feature phone with a strong focus on Facebook. Like HTC’s Chacha and Salsa, this upcoming Motorola phone features a dedicated Facebook button that simplifies the process of sharing images and status updates on the popular social network. The MOTOKEY SOCIAL also features a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 3-megapixel camera, email, Web access and a 910 mAh battery rated for 480 minutes...

As Hewlett-Packard reportedly toys with the idea of selling off its webOS software division, a new possible suitor may emerge from the dust following the burial of HP’s failed webOS devices. In a note to investors on Thursday, Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek suggests that Facebook might be in the best position to purchase webOS and use it to expand its lead in the social space. “Based on our analysis of prospective buyers and our checks, we believe Facebook is the best fit,” the ...

The Motorola EX225 has been revealed by the Bluetooth SIG and images of the phone show a dedicated Facebook button. The EX225 looks nearly identical to the HTC Status and, like that phone, is expected to offer a fully Facebook-integrated user interface, a 2.4-inch touchscreen display and a full QWERTY keyboard. In August, a report suggested that AT&T was going to discontinue the Status after the phone failed to attract a substantial customer base but AT&T immediately dispel the rumor, stating “...

AT&T is reportedly considering pulling the HTC Status Facebook phone from its smartphone lineup due to slower than expected sales. The rumor comes by way of TechCrunch, which reports that it has confirmed the Status’ lackluster sales with multiple sources. AT&T is said to be preparing to discontinue the phone after just over a month on the market. AT&T’s HTC Status is an Android-powered QWERTY smartphone with a dedicated Facebook button that simplifies the process of sharing content on...

AT&T on Monday announced pre-order availability of its first “Facebook Phone,” the HTC Status. Social butterflies on the nation’s No. 2 wireless carrier can pre-order the sleek smartphone for $49.99 on contract beginning immediately, and the phone will arrive in stores this Sunday, July 17th. Aimed squarely at young Facebook fanatics, the HTC Status features Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread, a QWERTY keypad, a 5-megapixel camera and a dedicated Facebook sharing button. “We can’t wait to pu...

It looks like the puzzle surrounding the much rumored “Facebook phones” is now beginning to come together thanks to a pair of purported press shots revealed on Monday. Mobile blog pocketnow.com has obtained what appears to be two official mock-ups depicting upcoming Android smartphones from HTC. The most notable feature found on each of these unannounced devices, of course, is the presence of a dedicated Facebook button complete with the Facebook logo. It is unclear what the function of the Facebo...

Facebook on Thursday denied earlier reports that HTC is preparing to unveil multiple Facebook-branded smartphones next month at Mobile World Congress. “This is really just another example of a manufacturer who has taken our public APIs (application programing interfaces) and integrated them into their device in an interesting way,” Facebook’s head of business development Dan Rose told reporters.”The rumors around there being something more to this HTC device are overblown.” Rose ...

We just received information from a tipster who apparently was part of a recent focus group for an upcoming device that appears to be a Facebook phone. Here are some features we anticipate will be part of the eventual Facebook handset based on questions asked at during the session:Location aware coupons: you pick main categories of interest. When you’re near any stores that fall into those categories, coupons are automatically pushed to your phone. Basically, it sounds like “Facebook Deals on ster...

Facebook will announce two Facebook-branded smartphones at next month’s Mobile World Congress according to a new report from City A.M. The report contradicts Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s earlier claim that the company was not working on branded cell phones, but was instead working to create a better, more comprehensive Facebook experience across existing mobile platforms. HTC will build the new Facebook phones according to the report, and they will feature branding and coloring in line with Face...