Facebook working on bringing its "Home" dream to Windows Phone?

Facebook is reportedly talking with both Microsoft and Apple about creating a version of its new software (that's already available on Android) for the iPhone and Windows Phone. The software is titled "Home" and offers further integration with mobile platforms for consumers to access social features more conveniently (or intrusively).

Adam Mosseri, director of product at Menlo Park said in an interview with Bloomberg that Facebook is looking to expand its dream to systems owned by Apple and Microsoft. Talks are currently ongoing, but nothing has been finalised. With more and more traffic going through Facebook from mobile devices, the social network will look at ways to capitalise on time not spent within a Facebook app.

This move will also help open up more revenue channels for the network. It's said that Facebook (and CEO Mark Zuckerberg) and Apple have a great relationship. What would this "Home" software bring to both the iPhone and our dearest Windows Phone? The former would sport an experience that's tailored for Apple consumers, but how could Facebook improve Facebook for Windows Phone when Microsoft is behind the official app?

Unfortunately, details were absent in the Bloomberg article on what plans the company has for Microsoft's mobile platform. Would Windows Phone consumers welcome the move by Facebook? Probably not. With Microsoft focusing on such an elegant and clean user experience, we can't imagine Redmond would allow Facebook to add clutter and advertising opportunities to further through social features in the faces of smartphone owners.

In addition, today at D: Dive into Mobile, Microsoft's head of Windows Phone, Terry Myerson, seemed open to the idea of working with Facebook for their 'Chatheads' feature and bringing other ways for social network to differentiate themselves on Windows Phone.

Of course Facebook already sports a strong degree of integration on Windows Phone, not to mention a rather good client from Microsoft, which is available on the Windows Phone Store. Is there room for "Home"? That remains to be seen, but it'll be interesting to see just what Facebook has planned.

Source: Bloomberg

Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

139 Comments

Please no...
Ummmmm I think you mean super please no X 9000
Windows Phone has deep Facebook integration already. We don't need no overlay ugly up my phone.
I don't want it, don't care about it, but I don't think it would hurt at all to have it. While most of us are lukewarm or outright hate Facebook, it is still a vastly popular social networking site with the masses. We don't 'need' Facebook home, no, but for those inattentive masses, being able to say 'Windows Phone 8 has Facebook Home... its not just Android only' is a great selling point.
I hate this idea.
Me too but it would probably convert new users to W8. I can't figure out why but there's millions of people addicted to Facebook. Having this on W8 could get people to look at W8 in stores. I think once they start playing with W8 they'll love it and join the family.
I don't see FBH bringing new users. It's clear that they want it everywhere.
Do you mean W8, or WP8?
Bah. keep 'em away from my WP.
+1
Maybe instead of creating a new "Home" app, FB should actually build a good first party app for windows phone. The current FB app was initially developed by Clarity Consulting, hired by MS. That company is no longer in control of the facebook app today. Some small group in MS must control the app's development now. FB should take this app from MS and improve it drastically or rewrite it.
^this
+1 I don't even use it anymore. It's faster to just just IE & browse in desktop mode. Plus, all the apps I've tried are missing a share option for posts.
I agree! Work on the current app, then maybe add 'home ' support.
^this
While I don't use Facebook on my WP, my wife does on her Nokia 900. Her experience seems to be in line with what I've read on forums and news sites. The bits that are integrated into People Hub work nice. But the facebook app is decidedly mediocre. It need performance improvements and just lots of improvements all around.

And just to be clear, Facebook Home on WP would be an attrocity. Who would ever want to give up the elegance of the Live-Tiles homescreen? Now, maybe a tweaked lock-screen integration could be interesting... but a big fat WHY BOTHER for anything as obtrusive as what they demo'ed on Android.
Facebook home is for the lockscreen, not the homescreen.
Well, if that would be true, the Facebook app already does this with the Lockscreen integration. And no, it woudn't just be "for the lockscreen." There is no way to interact with the Lockscreen other to unlock it. I for one would HATE to see Facebook Home on my WP device. THB, it is a gimmick in my opinion. Even the Chathead "feature" is a gimmick.
The Facebook lockscreen integration in WP8 is very different from this.
Using Facebook home, I can cycle through all my Facebook updates, like, comment and open links. All from the lockscreen.
For me, chatheads would be cool for SMS and email. You can swipe it away to deal with it later or respond without having to leave the screen you are currently in.
But you just can't do that on WP.
WP lockscreen is just an image generated by an app.
No interactivity, so no Facebook Home for WP as the one that they released for Android.
To make our FB experience better, MS should fix some things like group conversations, sharing (goal.com app can share links to Facebook using the account linked to MS profile, so it's something that can work), the possibility to like a single comment and stuff like that
+1 completely agree with this!
+1000
ABSOLUTELY THIS.

Windows Phone already provides "Facebook Home" literally every crappy function FB provides Windows Phone does it BETTER. They are welcome to take over the Facebook app and develop it within the constraints of the ecosystem. Hell, they stole most of the ideas for "Home" from windows phone anyways, the least they could do is maintain the app! The only thing FB wants is to INSERT ADS into our nice clean FB feeds we have now on Windows Phone.
Absolutely +1 this ^^^
^I agreee with this 1000% The first place FB needs to start with WindowsPhone is for them to bring a great 1st party App experience to the platform. Lets see what they can do there before "innovating" something else.
Agreed Facebook app is rubbish, sort that out first. Other than that, make people hub and pictures better so no Facebook app is needed
keep away please.
They wont bring us YouTube, Gmail, or any other app, but they want to give us this crap? Lol.
That's all on Google and their anticompetitive existence...
You must be talking about Google. This article is about Facebook.
Haha, good one... Oh wait. You are being serious?
WP central, why dont you put up a poll to see how many people would support the idea. i am curious.
INB4 the "bring instagram first" comments :)
Right!
Agree
No. Microsoft already has nicely integrated social media into WP.
I doubt if this is going to be possible because windows 8 is not an open source so it would be difficult to get an overlay on top of modern UI of windows phone, which would affect the consistency of the Operating system.
Which is why facebook is talking to microsoft for a solution that doesnt require it to be open source. In my mind WP is the original home as its an OS that allows social network integration into its core functions. If Facebook wants to improve this integration and call it HOME then fine by me. If they want to run an entire new UI over my OS then no thank you!
The best thing for them to improve the experience on WP is to make offline messages come to the messaging hub and add more facebook functions to the people hum and picture hub.
Facebook could almost add all of thier HOME features to the already existing windows phone. They could push the status update/pictures to the lockscreen from their app.
They could work to better integrate the people hub into their messenger/chatheads app, because you know it "puts people first."
The calendar is already partially integrated to the native calendar.
What are we missing? It seems to me that MS has already implemented Facebook Home for them, except Facebook isn't getting advertisments in front of us.
Lets work on a fb app first
+1
PLEASE. NO.
No thanks.
People keep saying they hate the idea be Boone knows how ots going to be integrated. Think outside the box geez that's what's wrong with people. More integration into people hub? Means no need for official app. Or even,better a real official,downloadable app that has access to be included in people hub aka Facebook hub which can be a Facebook blue people hub with full screen metro style pictures and more options than available now with Facebook app?
I could go for integration improvements, since the People Hub is consistently called out as one of the top genius features of WP.  An improved Facebook lockscreen could be cool too... as well as good integration with the Notification Center rumored to be in Windows Blue edition of WP8. Just stay true to what WP is all about and don't change the flow and paradigm of the fabulous Live-Tile start screen.
I agree with what they said... It may nit be so bad, plus I'm sure it will bring more people to WP
Lol wow this gona be slow week :/ of news and by they way this is :$@s Facebook already confirmed they are not bringing this to ios or Wp keep up with the news !!!!!!!!!
Mircosoft had to produce the WP facebook app instead of FB themselves and they can't bring us an offical instagram app. They might want to give us some small step before trying to take a big leap. In my opinion, gives us the choice to have or not have the feature on our phone, but don't force us into using it. Some people might want it, I rather give those people the choice of using it or not on window phone platform instead of going to a different company that does. But first thing first, they need to improve on what windows phone needs/wants now, instead of trying to give us something completely different later.
How about a decent FB app? Pleeeeeaase!
From other sources:
Update: Citing unnamed sources”inside Facebook familiar with the discussions” The Next Web claims Facebook is not in fact in talks with Apple or Microsoft.
“We’ve been told that while the company has good relationships with both Apple and Microsoft, right now no discussions have taken place to bring Home to those platforms,” they said.
Having installed Facebook Home in my Nexus 7 (using patched files because it's not supported right now), I can say that Facebook Home is a really bad idea with some neat things.

The full screen feed is ugly. It shows photos with tiny text some times. Some times, the text gets bigger and looks better. However, most people's feeds are filled with ugly pictures someone selling something, a poorly taken photo, shared links with cropped images, etc.

The chat heads are somehow useful but I don't like the roundness of it's contact "button/head". They can float on your screen unless you choose to close it. For ongoing conversations, it's great.

Facebook should have made a lockscreen feed instead of replacing launchers on Android. The same could be neat for WP. Instead of showing just a collage of photos, we can see our feed in the lockscreen and flick through it by swiping left. Commenting and liking could be incorporated as well.

At least on Android, it makes your device feel too basic. You need to tap your way into an app list that support folders, search or other features. The Android home button does nothing but show your previous background with a "shady" overlay making it look dimmed and nothing more.

Home is a good idea, but poorly implemented. I will try it if they release something for WP but I don't expect to be attracted by it.
Absolutely not. I will move to blackberry if windows phone supports that idea....(not really but maybe)
Did you set it up so it's just the lockscreen? I did that on my Touchpad running CM9 and it's so much better that way. Not intrusive at all.
I use windows phone lol
Response was supposed to be for the original poster.
Did you set it up so it's just the lockscreen? I did that on my Touchpad running CM9 and it's so much better that way. Not intrusive at all.
Worst idea ever!!!!!!!
To be honest , we don't need facebook home, facebook is really nicely integrated as it is (speaking for a wp7 perspective), It could do with some someness and better all round tweaks but no home, please.
A rather good client? Are you kidding me? Our Facebook app is literally a pile of shit. I know I've read about Stephen Elop claiming Nokia is working on a better FB app but they can only do so much. We need an official app for our platform that is just as feature rich as the others.
Link?
It was in the forums.

Search for Stephen Elop better Facebook
Should sort out the app we've got not this bollocks
I have a HP Touchpad that I rooted and installed Cyanogen Mod 9. I was able to get a version of Facebook Home to run on it since I was curious.
Its actually not bad. Its just a lockscreen interface and it does not take over the tablet or phone.
I will say that I prefer seeing my Facebook feed in a list manner similar to the People Hub in Windows Phone. Scrolling through updates via Facebook home is not very time efficient.
Since I don't use Facebook messenger a lot, chatheads on my tablet is useless. But a similar product for Windows Phone for SMS and emails would be killer.
You must have set it up or it defaulted to that then, as most people are saying, if it is installed the way Facebook wants, it takes over the interface so it is all Facebook all of the time. People over on android central are saying it is akin to apps like nova launcher and such. I won't install it on my note 2 for even preview purposes as I don't care for that kind of intrusion. Just read today that Facebook is going to start including 15 second ads on the site in the near future. As if the ad bombardment on their website wasn't bad enough. Now they can bring them to a tablet or phone near you. They want to be like Google in so many ways.
I'm waiting for the Windows Phone 7 users to start complaining they won't get HOME?
Regarding a good native app, I heard Nokia is working on it (just as it is for proper Foursquare and Tumblr apps).
You are being sarcastic right?
Most definately!
I just want a first party Facebook app. The one we have now is garbage...they can keep that Home crap on Android
I like the integrated experience already included... absolutely no way I'm gonna let Facebook take over the experience completely.
I hate my facebook app for windows phone get this rubbish sorted id love to see a total revamp of the app but i do t want crappy ads!!! Needs sorting big time
not to mention a rather good client from Microsoft, which is available on the Windows Phone Store

wtf?
No.. Now maybe a MySpace or Blackplanet phone would be great!! Or maybe Jamster phone
As everyone else is saying, we dont want that crap on windows phone, just give us a proper app and let us be.
Wait were talking about a similar home screen that HTC first facebook phone has? I'd rather get my leg stuck under a rock and chew it off, than see this stalker screen on my phone.
There is a lot of misinformation about FB Home going on here. It does not take over the homescreen. It is just on the lockscreen and you can go directly to your homescreen or app list from it.
How long before they integrate Instagram and Home and that's the only way to get Insta on any platform.
Soon I hope :)
Didn't Facebook just say this morning that are not, in fact, talking to either MS or Apple at this time and that article is wrong?
Yes, they did. Wpcentral is a bit late to the party :)
This is confusing and doesn't make sense to me. Facebook wont bring Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram to Windows Phone but they're in talks to bring Facebook Home to Windows Phone?
This information has already been demented by Facebook.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/16/4229090/facebook-home-not-likely-to-ap...
Microsoft should polish people hub. Don't talk with Facebook unless they bring instagran on table.
I rather have Facebook create a better app for us
not to mention a rather good client from Microsoft
If that was a joke, I laughed.
I'm honestly surprised they think Windows phone is worthy enough for something like this. How about they straighten the official FB for windows phone and then maybe the can do this. Maybe they'll fix it a week before FB home.
It seems that this story is fake according to All Things D
https://twitter.com/JohnPaczkowski/status/324140873283694594
If it changes the home screen at ALL, they can drop dead. Facebook isn't realitive enough that I would want my home screen changed to orbit around it. Windows Metro UI is bigger, bolder, and far more important than any popular for the time being social site.
People need to be open to ideas that will help the PLATFORM, not just what they will use. Just like Instagram (look how many people jumped on instagraph after all the bashing) FB Home is something the platform needs to be on the same playing field as ios and google.

Personally I would say WP offers the best option as they could just build a FB Home hub, then anyone can download it if they want. With double wide tiles, lockscreen it would be a great plus for WP. Wouldnt hurt to improve the builtin functionality as well. But lets not pretend the current WP FB app and integration is anything but lacking when compared to ios and android. That is just being a blind fanboy and doesnt help anyone, least of all the WP platform.
Not interested, to much privacy issues if someone were to steal your phone (full access to your Facebook from the lock screen.) On top of that, I'm not that obsessed with Facebook.
Facebook, please take you FB home away from WP and just give us a proper great app instead. That will do for us.
I would definitely like a better Facebook app and the Chat Heads thing is pretty cool. I've been using it on my Nexus and I like it a lot.
Develop the people hub for facebook integration, need more features on the hub.

I raelly dont want facebook taking over my phone like facebook home does to the htc first.
God and Jesus as well (anyone?), please NO. Well ok, if it's an app among menu, sure, feel free Zucker boy.
Kiss my softball FB
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I agree most whole heartedly.
Whoever says the current MSFT solution is "rather good" obviously hasn't used one of the richer apps on Android or iOS. Facebook needs to bring a similar app to WP before anything else. The current app is so bad that I dread using it. In fact, it's one of the reasons I'm planning on switching back to Android when my contract comes up (maybe sooner).
Issues:
Constantly refreshes to the top of the stream
No Share button
When clicking on a share, you go to the original thread, not the thread of the share
i believe they fixed the refresh top of the scream. I dont have the issue anymore.
no they never fixed it. still refreshes.
I have an Android phone (two actually) and the Facebook app sucks on that too. You're delusional.
Congrats on your phones. I've had several myself since the G1 and several tablets. The only thing I'm delusional about is that I expected decent conversation on the internet.
The Facebook app for Android far exceeds that of WP8. It has it problems, but is much better than MSFT's offering.
The refresh still happens for me and I checked if the app was up to date.
this could result in custom launchers in the future just like SPB mobile shell on windows mobile 6.x
if this happens im trading my nokia for walkie talkie
Oh God no !
No thanks.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
windows phone have been putting people first since 2010. late to the party, facebook.
We don't want it
Well its been said lots already but no. I prefer to use the FB integration in WP over the clunky and slow app any day.
I wouldn't mind a great Facebook app with an option for a custom Facebook Lock screen that can push full messages to the lock screen.
Rather good? The fb app for windows phone sucks. It never, ever updates my live tile with notifications or even a number in the corner or anything.... And I have everything checked in the settings so I should be getting notifications.
Facebook Home = Windows Phone. All of the concepts Facebook Home is based on were concepts that Windows Phone started with. Chatheads are cool but the rest is lame.
Yes! Give me those disembodied heads!
And please make it work with at least SMS, too.
Disaster
The Next Web denied this news. I wouldn't bet on bloomberg, just saying..
Chat heads! I actually think that'd be useful if it worked throughout the system like on Android... And if it worked with more messaging options than FBOOK messenger... I don't have any friends.
Anyway. I think that'd be super awesome. Not so stoked about Facebook home coming to my lovely operating system, though.
I love that everyone has said what I was thinking.
Signing off, lol.
Boo
Isn't WP already some sort of Facebook Phone with Facebook being intregrated in it? Why would I want the ugly Facebook Home with ugly bubble heads floating around? Forget Facebook Home, just add offline messages to Windows Phone's messages app and we'll have all we need!
I would like to see this happen. Not that I would use it, but I know some people would. Anything to get WP noticed and get it up there with the big boys.
Same time as this article comes out, Bloomberg reports the exact opposite -- that it's never coming to iPhone or Windows Phone. For iPhone they mentioned that Facebook is already well integrated, so I can only assume that this gives even less reason to bring it to WP because the integration and people-focus is already there. They're better to improve their app with wallpaper updates, (and while they're there, all the other advanced features their official app is missing).
No, no, no!
Well, they upgraded the Facebook app for iPhone/iPad with Chatty Face Bobblehead thingamajobs....
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/facebooks-iphone-ipad-apps-updated-features-chat-heads/story?id=18971147#.UW3cKz7n9kQ
So...no need for "talks" when Facebook runs the app. Windows Phone doesn't have a chance of getting it anytime soon. Oh well....
Go "Home" Facebook, you're drunk.
We need a new Facebook app cuz the one we have sucks.
Since current facebook app is horrible, this is great news.
Think they should focus more on integrating Facebook into WP then to put some overlay of Facebook on it.
No,Nyet
i like chatheads, everything else can just stay on android
^ THIS!
Please keep this crap off my OS....please
I'm not sure how this would work, but it's a welcome addition even if most of us won't be using it!
F-OFF FB!
Talking Heads... No! Floating Heads...
I haven't even got Facebook any more, i deleted my account
Seems like more of a Home "nightmare" than a Home "dream". I'm not interested in Facebook having a larger role in my life. A smaller role would be better.
Eh, half the time the lock screen provided from the FB app looks like crap anyways, I don't need reposted ecards and album upon album of food and baby pictures littering my homescreen. Plus WP already has better FB integration than Home anyways, with the exception of Chatheads. I'd say even if just that came to WP and could be used in tangent with SMS I'd use it, but that's it.
The xbox client was a prime example of wasted dev. Time only for it to be replaced by a rough around the edges web browser that works for some sites others not so well.
personally id like to see them add other im service providers to wp through people hub like they do with social networking but in a similar way to what's baked into osx
I am already content with my WP8 integration with FB. No need for "Home". I kinda think that Home basically copies from WP8 environment

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