First Look at the Facebook Phone?

I love the war building between Facebook and Google. First, Facebook knocked Google and Search off their high horse and took over as the #1 thing people do online, making up 27% of their Share of Time, as reported by Nielsen. Now, according to TechCrunch, Facebook is building a phone to compete with the likes of the Google Android. To follow the Android model, they apparently plan to build the software for the phone, and then work with a third party to build the hardware. I'll be interested to see how open they will be with the platform. This would be big for Facebook. It’s a move in the direction, building circular growth versus linear growth. After all, you gotta think the saturation point for Facebook site users, currently over 500 million, is coming to a head. The Facebook phone would give them the ability to integrate further into contact lists and scheduling; two important functions to enhance their newest geo-targeting venture (Facebook Places) and, of course, to provide a richer offering to their advertisers. So…what will this thing look like? No one knows. But this picture (above) was leaked over the weekend (via laughsquid). It could be the Facebook Phone, or it could just be someone having fun with PhotoShop. You can be the judge. ~ p