Facebook Home redefines the mobile rules
Why just compete? Why not redefine the rules.
Facebook announced “Home” today, a new way of experiencing Facebook on the Android platform. Contrary to what analysts predicted, Facebook Home is not an mobile app and it is not another mobile OS either. It is an experience layer. A springboard that sits on top of the operating system and lets the user experience their mobile device through the lens of their social network.
Facebook Home will be available both pre-installed on the new HTC First devices and also is downloadable on other Android devices on April 12th. It is a whole set of features that Facebook-izes the mobile Android experience. It includes Cover Feed, in which you get your friend’s photos and status updates as soon as you turn on the phone. There’s also Chat heads, which are Facebook messages you can get and respond to even while using other apps. Very strategic and competitive in redefining how people experience the network on their mobile device.
Watch out Google, Whatsapp and Flipboard. Facebook is competitive, and they are serious.
Facebook’s Director of Product Joey Flynn didn’t hold back critiquing the messaging app competition.
Highlighting some of the flaws with the messaging services, Flynn explains that messaging apps require you to close the app you’re in right now to view a message. “You should really be able to talk to your friends no matter where you’re at on your phone and no matter what app you’re in,” he says. “And your friends shouldn’t just be siloed off into these apps. With Chat heads, you can talk to whomever and wherever on your phone.” Facebook wants us to think of Chat heads not as a competitor, but as the next evolution of messaging.
This allows Facebook couple of really strong competitive plays:
- Gain back momentum from mobile messaging platforms like Whatsapp, Tango, Google Talk, Skype and others.
- Re-position itself as a mobile ‘experience’ destination and continue building mobile revenue streams.
- Experiment with content curation experience and compete with Flipboard, Pulse and others.
- Build on Facebook Social Graph Search to competitively play in Google’s own playground.
Just imagine what a total experience allows Facebook. It gives them the power and the edge to progressively take the share away from Google services and others. And before Apple fans tout their closed ecosystem, just wait for the jailbreak. ;)
Don’t manage the ‘brand’.
IBM’s CMO, Jon Iwata explains what it means to be a brand in this day and age. The essence behind the logic and the emotion of a brand.
I’ve had the pleasure to work with him in my previous life and have always been awe struck in his vision and ability to translate ever changing human behaviour into an always relevant brand.
What defines your brand? Even your personal brand.
