Facebook's New Home on Android: Will it be Android Exclusive App or a New Phone?

Speculations are rife on what Facebook will show the world on Thursday (4 April), ever since it sent out an invitation that reads "Come See Our New Home on Android" to media houses.

The most popular social networking site didn't provide any information on what it is going to unveil or what to expect at the event, leaving room for speculations and rumours besides creating curiosity among the people.

Facebook is tight-lipped about the event to be held at its Menlo Park headquarters on Thursday but people have drawn their own conclusions based on its "Come See Our New Home on Android" invitation.

Here are two possible outcomes from Facebook's invite:

1)      Facebook Home: It could be a facebook app exclusively for Android. The new software would help one to replace homescreen with Facebook content and features, which will not only help users have easy access to Facebook-centric functions like Facebook Messenger and the Facebook camera but also other apps like Google play, telephone, web browser, text messaging etc available on android phones.

It is speculated that the new app could be a modified version of Android operating system with Facebook services built in and installed on HTC mobile phones. It should be something similar to what Amazon did for the Kindle Fire with the operating system.

2)      Facebook Phone: There were speculations and rumours doing the rounds that Facebook would come up with a phone despite its founder Mark Zuckerberg's clarification that it is not interested.

However, the "Come See Our New Home on Android" invite has sparked off yet another rumour that Facebook is coming up with a phone. Some websites even went to the extent of describing the look of the so called "Facebook phone", saying that it would resemble Apple's iPhone. They say that it will be HTC/Facebook collaboration.

Rumour mill will run amok till Facebook unveil its new offering on Thursday, but for now, app exclusively for Android sounds business as Facebook phone is unlikely to make any difference with big tech giants like Apple and Samsung around. 

Some Guesstimates

"Although Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has always indicated - as recently as a few months ago - that a phone has "always been the wrong strategy" for Facebook, it looks like a phone may be just what we'll see the company announce on Thursday," wrote Emily Price of Mashable. "That "Facebook Phone" announcement, however, may not be what you think."

"Sources tell us it will be a modified version of the Android operating system with deep native Facebook functionality on the homescreen that may live on an HTC handset," Josh Constine of TechCrunch wrote.

"This announcement might not be a Facebook Phone, but rather a Facebook phone - one where everything the user sees is social by design, even if the handset's innards are made by someone else," he added. 

Dieter Bohn of The Verge wrote that Facebook would announce a new software for Android called "Facebook Home" and a "mid-range phone built by HTC that will showcase the software" at the event.

But he said Facebook can't survive if it gets into phone business.

"Facebook can't win, place, or even show in the smartphone marketshare horse race. Instead of putting its own horse on the track, it's putting a jockey on a winner: Android," wrote Bohn.