Home was launched by Mark Zuckerberg himself at the start of April. The programme – perhaps best described as a specialised user interface – is for Android devices, and makes Facebook the ‘centre’ of the phone or device; a literal 'phone home' if you will. For example, when you first boot up the phone you’re presented with a selection of the latest pictures from your Newsfeed rather than the typical app screen. It also allows the user to keep the chat function - dubbed 'chat heads' - running between different applications.
Speaking at the launch of Home, Mark said "the home screen is the soul of your phone. It sets the tone. We feel it should be deeply personal.” Home was launched initially on a small amount of devices, with the flagship device being the HTC First – a modestly-priced Android phone with Home preinstalled.
Reception
Just over a month later, Home’s future is already extremely uncertain. The software launched to predominantly negative reviews. The user reviews on Google Play store are, as of writing, averaging out at two stars after 17,000 ratings – with over half of voters giving the application a single-star. Downloads of the application have only barely passed the one million mark – a very low result for a major release from a high-profile company even in light of the initially limited compatibility. Download figures are currently falling rather than increasing.
Professional reviews were more mixed – with some admiring the slick design but criticising the fact that the Facebook integration came at the cost of access to other apps. Molly McHugh of Digital Trends wrote that “shortly after installing Home and admiring cover feed and its never-ending stream of your Facebook friends’ updates and photos, the first thing you might realize about the app is how truly limiting it is and how very trapped you are.”
Concerns were also raised about potential privacy issues raised by Facebook being embedded so deeply into the phone design.
Meanwhile, the HTC First has been heralded by many as a commercial disaster. AT&T – the only US mobile company currently offering the phone – have already slashed the price from €75 to 75 cent when bought on contact. Reports over the last few days have suggested the phone might be discontinued altogether, despite reviews suggesting it’s a solid if unremarkable budget smartphone (also offering the option to turn Facebook Home off).
Future
The muted response to Facebook Home is arguably another indication of a general oversaturation of Facebook itself. Although it’s still enjoys a massive userbase, 63,000 Irish users alone are reported to have left Facebook in the last six months. Questions remain about Facebook’s long-term potential, and not just for Home.
Home is barely a month old, so it’s possibly too early to accurately predict its future. Zuckerberg for his part has said “this is just a first release in a long journey”, with further revisions and alterations all but inevitable. After all, countless selections of initially poorly received software and hardware have went on to enjoy widespread popularity and acclaim after redesigns and improvements.
Only one thing is certain at the moment: fighting against a tepid early reception, flailing flagship hardware and minimal user interest, Home faces the most uphill of battles - although few companies are as well-equipped as Facebook to fight said battle.
