iOS or Windows Phone, now with Facebook

Posted by silenceisgolden on May 29, 2012 06:53 pm 1

This wacky idea popped into my head during the Verge Mobile Podcast Show and I think it has 2 possibilities. The first one is the Facebook iPhone.

Besides Facebook's relationship with Microsoft in the patent arena, Facebook has not done anything to really tick off Apple. This would leave open the possibility of Facebook being allowed to bake its API's and services deep into iOS. Apple tried social with Ping on iTunes and failed miserably, but giving Facebook the same access like Spotify or Rdio does would fill in that social gap nicely. iCloud could merge into Facebook's Docs, or vice versa, and Facebook could potentially get a ton of money, or at least save its stock price a bit, by working together with Apple. Facebook would finally have a proper messaging platform because of easy sync with iMessage, and they would both succeed in their goal of either hurting Google badly, or controlling so much of the market that the worlds largest anti-trust case was opened up (which in this day and age, is unlikely).

The other, maybe more realistic, idea is a Windows Phone with Facebook. Microsoft has quietly launched their so.cl platform (more like a 2x4 stacked on a few bricks) but has not really worked hard to make it a key part of their service. Meanwhile, @live.com accounts are not a hot commodity, and Zune... Anyway, they could use a much more vibrant social look on their mobile platform, and they also would have the money to pay Facebook for priority. Windows, or maybe it's just Live, Messenger would finally rest in peace, Woodstock with Facebook would satisfy every wannabe raver/hippie in the world while Justin Bieber decides which route he wants to go, and Windows Phone 7.99999 would finally have an app that was dedicated to the platform completely, since it would be baked in.

While all of these rumors of the ChaSquared coming out for whatever network needs another phone should be taken with a grain of salt, I'm sure Facebook's marketing agencies love the sound of the Apple iPhone with Facebook or the Lumia 900 with Facebook (808 if it is with Instagram). They need to do something to make their newly pissed off new investors happy, and baking themselves into a platform might be the way to achieve that.

One last thought. Facebook, as of today's trading is now worth $79 billion. I still think Apple has a bit of cash lying around.

If any of this happens though, I will be sick. I certainly hope it does not, so we can all keep the last little bit of privacy we have split between three corporate giants instead of just one.

Disclaimer: I'm an Android fanboy.