Facebook has become a social media phenomenon and people of all age groups are obsessed with it. Everyone is logged on to their accounts 24/7 from their computers, as well as handheld devices. Rumors now suggest that HTC and Facebook are gearing up to launch a Facebook smartphone in 2013.

Seeing the love for Facebook, HTC released a few phones sometime back, which were chiefly meant to access Facebook. These phones - ChaCha and Salsa - were specially customized for Facebook lovers.

Even though their main feature revolved around Facebook, these phones couldn't become that popular. Additionally, since last year, there have been rumours about Facebook and HTC working on bringing a new smartphone. Fresh reports suggest that HTC and Facebook will launch their much-hyped Facebook smartphone sometime in the middle of the year 2013.

As of now, Facebook is in the process of coming up with a modified OS for the upcoming phone. The predecessors of HTC Facebook phone - ChaCha and Salsa - couldn't make their presence felt as much it was expected. The launch of this new phone from HTC was expected to take place in Q3 2012.

Various studies have also proved that millions of Facebook users access the site using mobile devices and, therefore, a concept of a phone like this is poised for stupendous success.

Victor Anthony, an analyst at Topeka Capital Markets Inc. said "Usage is shifting to mobile, and they have not been able to monetize mobile, to the extent that it's a device you own and carry around with you at all times, and it ties into the Facebook experience, it will be beneficial. They could then put a lot of ads onto the platform."

HTC and Facebook have hired Apple employees to work on the upcoming phone, including Greg Novick, who helped develop the touchscreen user interface; Tim Omernick and Chris Tremblay, who worked on the device's software; and Scott Goodson, who helped create the stock-market application.

Reportedly the phone would use a modified version of Android or may be a combination of Android and the webOS developed by Facebook.

The upcoming phone has created a lot of hullabaloo ahead of its launch. After so much attention, the phone would surely sell like hot cakes, at least by Facebook lovers who are bitten by the social media bug. We'll have to wait and see what's in store for HTC this time round.