Facebook Phone Release Date: HTC Phone to Arrive On April 4

Culture

Facebook would unveil a Facebook-branded mobile phone on 4 April, according to The Guardian.

But the social network, which sent the "teaser invitations" with the phrase, "Come See Our New Home on Android," hasn't provided further details — which leaves open the possibility that the new rumored product could end up being just another service or application.

However, "detailed leaks" suggest that Facebook is about to unveil the result of a "long-rumored collaboration" with Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.  

The new Facebook phone would have a "modest" 5 megapixel rear lens for photos, a 1.6 megapixel front facing camera for video calls, and a basic 16 gigabytes of storage — it is rumored Facebook would be aiming for a low-cost device that could be targeted to millions of the social network users from India to Latin America. 

The new Facebook smartphone would also have a "similar look to a black iPhone." However, according to the leaked information, the gadget would have a slightly larger display (4.3 inch). As expected, the phone would come "packed" with Facebook services and applications — such as FB instant messaging and Instagram.

According to The Guardian, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg "has made no secret" of his desire to capitalize on the more of 680 million people who access Facebook from their mobile phones each month.

"You have a good version of all the Facebook features you know and want on your phone. So now the next thing we're going to do is get really good at building new mobile-first experiences," Zuckerberg told investors in January.