Facebook, Don't Build a Phone

Facebook has enough problems these days, from that lackluster IPO to rumors that Mark Zuckerberg is a lousy honeymoon tipper. And now comes yet another report that Facebook is trying to make a smartphone? At PC Magazine, Dan Costa has some advice: Don't do it. Facebook does indeed have weak mobile offerings, but the company should fix this problem with better software—its strong suit—not hardware.

Building a smartphone is technically difficult, and then there's the hassle of dealing with carriers and the FCC to consider. While a minority of Facebook loyalists might sign on, Costa thinks most people would shy away from a phone that might limit their flexibility. "Will the Facebook phone support Twitter? Can I use Hipstamatic or do I have to use Instagram?" he writes. "People will only carry one phone, and they will want it to be one that is social network agnostic." Forget the hardware, Facebook. If your mobile apps are weak, build better apps instead. Read Costa's full column here. (More Facebook stories.)