HTC Facebook Phone could arrive in 2013

HTC Facebook Phone could arrive in 2013
Surely this means we're getting a Twitter tablet right?

An official Facebook Phone may be with us sometime next year, courtesy of Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.

HTC has already launched a couple of handset which sport dedicated Facebook buttons, the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa, providing users with a quick way to jump into the social network's app on their phone - although these handsets proved to be something of a flop with consumers, despite relative critical acclaim.

According to Bloomberg West, HTC is about to take the next step and develop and full-on Facebook Phone – set to arrive in the middle of 2013.

Facebook'd your mum on my phone

Currently there are no further details on the proposed handset, but we'd expect it to come running Android (probably Jelly Bean), with HTC's Sense overlay which may be heavily tweaked to include lots of Facebook-orientated features and integration.

We're not completely sold on the idea of a Facebook Phone, as the free application available on all the major mobile operating systems provides enough for most people's activities on the move, and we're seeing it integrated into the likes of our camera, contacts and media apps to allow for easy sharing 24/7.

Perhaps HTC is hoping that with the backing of Facebook the handset will achieve a large number of sales, as it looks to get back on track after slipping away from the likes of Samsung and Apple in the past six months or so.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.