What's App

Facebook Home On iOS And Windows Phone Might Never Happen

Vamien McKalin

If you're a fan of Windows Phone or iOS who might hope to get a shot at Facebook Home on your device, that's not going to happen any time soon, or ever, for that matter. Why? It's all about the closed ecosystem of both operating systems: they are not like Android.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Facebook is in talks with Apple and Microsoft about bringing Facebook Home to the iPhone and Windows Phone 8 devices; however, those talks doesn't appear to be headed in a direction Facebook would find pleasing. CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, spoke to Apple recently about the general relationship both companies have. However, there's plenty of interest to get Facebook Home on the iPhone, but Apple would likely not agree to this because the app would take over the lock screen and other parts of the operating system.

Throughout the announcement of Facebook Home, Zuckerberg repeatedly praised Android for its openness, stating if it weren't for that, Facebook Home would not be possible.

Zuckerberg also stated, "Ultimately anything that happens with Apple will be in partnership with them." Getting Facebook Home to work on iOS would require a deeper level access and Apple's consent, and it doesn't appear Apple would ever have much incentive to provide app developers with more open options.

The other platform of interest is Microsoft Windows Phone. It's a platform similar to Apple's iOS in being restrictive to developers, so an app like Facebook Home is equally unlikely to ever see the light of day on Windows Phone 8. Microsoft is quite bullish on its design style for its platform, and to give Facebook deeper level access than it already has, would change everything Microsoft stands for.

"We've shown them what we've built and we're just in an ongoing conversation," Adam Mosseri, director of product at Facebook, said in an interview with Bloomberg, referring to discussions with Apple and Microsoft.

Unless both Apple and Microsoft make major changes to the philosophy that drives both companies, Facebook Home on iOS and Windows Phone 8 is not going to happen.

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