Facebook Takes Over Your Phone with 'Home'

The long-fabled Facebook Phone is finally official. Sort of. Today at a press event, the social networking giant introduced Home — its new software ecosystem for Android devices. Home replaces your smartphone's lock and home screens with Cover Feed, a new interface that puts "people first, not apps," making status updates, photos, and messages from your Facebook friends the first thing you see. While all of the functionality of Android remains intact and accessible, Home merges many apps and functions into one consolidated experience. Other apps can be accessed from within Home UI, and both Facebook and SMS threads are merged into one messaging window called Chat Heads.

But despite prior rumors, Facebook's new play for smartphone integration isn't limited to a single device. Home can be installed on a vast array of devices, including tablets. When it launches on April 12th, Home will be compatible with the HTC One, HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy S4, and Samsung Galaxy Note II. But Facebook is also working with hardware makers to develop devices that come with Home pre-installed, the first of which is the HTC First — a $99.99 Android smartphone for AT&T.

What do you think of Facebook Home and the HTC First? Sound off in the comments below.

Scott Lowe is IGN's resident tech expert and Executive Editor of IGN Tech. You can follow him on Twitter at @ScottLowe and on MyIGN at Scott-IGN.

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