Facebook Smartphone May Be Unveiled Next Year

Facebook Smartphone

The so-so performance of Facebook in the stock exchange did not seem to affect the company as recent reports have hinted at the possibility that the company will be releasing a smartphone by next year. According to anonymous sources, a Facebook smartphone is reportedly is in the future plans of the social networking company.

The sources were reportedly Facebook employees, engineers and individuals who had an idea on the plans of the company. Reports have indicated that at least six former employees of Apple were hired by the company who will likely work on the reported Facebook smartphone.

These former employees of Apple were reportedly hardware and software engineers who were involved in development of the Apple iPhone as well as the iPad.

The supposed Facebook smartphone calls to mind earlier reports where the company was supposedly planning on producing a Facebook smartphone last November. Earlier reports hinted at a Facebook smartphone that will integrate the social network into the core of the device and was given the codename ‘Buffy’. HTC was supposed to produced the Facebook smartphone last November, which was supposedly going to be introduced in the third quarter of this year.

During the 2011 Mobile World Congress, two smartphones, which featured a dedicated Facebook button, were introduced by HTC, the HTC ChaCha and the HTC Salsa. The HTC ChaCha was later released as the HTC Status.

According to recent reports, the ‘Buffy’ project was expanded by the company as it created a team of engineers who have experience in developing devices. One of the engineers in the team that will supposedly produce the Facebook smartphone was a part of the team that worked on the Apple iPhone. The engineer was able to meet the head of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, who asked him questions about a smartphone.

For the moment no statements were issued by Facebook in connection to the reports of a possible launch of a Facebook smartphone since the company does not make comments on speculations and rumors.