In 2013, Facebook decided that its customers, who are using more and more their smartphone for basically... everything, would probably like an alternative user environment, closer to them and that would facilitate their communication with their friends. And this is how Facebook launched Facebook Home, an Android app, aimed to replace a smartphone home screen. You could thus view your friends' updates and notifications on a full screen environment, which was also made in order to hide as much as possible the Android shape of the phone : the research bar is not visible for example.
On its app launching, facebook collaborated with HTC in order for the phone company to sell its new smartphone, the HTC First, with the pre-loaded app.
The facebook Home design
The problem is, no one wanted the facebook Home app. Not the users, not the phone sellers. The app was too invasive on the consumers' phones, and quickly on internet topics were created with a "how to get a rid of Facebook Home on the HTC First" subject.
Another face of the failure arose, that is quite embarrassing for Facebook : the app has been created by... Iphone users, who were therefore not aware enough of how an Android user thinks. The thing is, Android' USP (Unique Selling Point) is its personalization possibilities. Widgets, folders, or docks are all things that Apple doesn't offer in its smartphones. The constat is simple: How can you possibly create something that personal for a target that you don't even know ?
Morale of the story: Don't pull all your eggs in one basket !
