Facebook has revealed its new ‘home on Android’, and rather suitably it’s called Facebook Home. This isn’t a Facebook operating system as we were thinking earlier in the week, but an app that will transform select Android smartphones into ‘Facebook phones’.
So how does it work? Well, it’s a case of visiting the Play Store on your Android device and downloading the Facebook Home app first of all. You can then set the app up to completely take over your phone and make it very Facebook-centric, or choose to only use it for the primary Facebook uses.
Facebook Home can be used to transform your lock screen into a feed directly from your account, with the whole screen taken up by photos uploaded by friends as well as status updates. This will gradually scroll through in a timeline style, or you can swipe right or left to scroll through your feed. Stuff like Instagram pictures and link shares will also appear in your feed, because Facebook wants you to see everything that’s social and belongs to them.
Unlike other Facebook lockscreen widgets on Android, Facebook Home allows you to interact with your feed without unlocking the phone and going into an app. For example, you can double tap an image or status update to ‘Like’ it. In the bottom left corner you also have a comment box which allows you to comment on photos, check-ins and status updates.
Facebook was also keen to address those who love to use the Chat feature. When using Home, incoming messages on Chat will display as a circular profile picture in the top right corner – Facebook calls these ‘Chat Heads’. Tapping these allows you to open up a chat and reply, then return to the app you were using with no interference.
As we saw in leaked screenshots recently, the app tray will also be taken over by Facebook. You’ll get a selection of Facebook apps like Messenger, Instagram and of course Facebook, and you also have shortcuts to posting a status, uploading a photo and checking in.
Unfortunately Facebook Home won’t be available on every Android phone, but Facebook has revealed a line-up of compatible devices to get the ball rolling. This includes the new HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note II and the HTC One X+. They also revealed the first ‘Facebook phone’, the HTC First. Monthly updates will add new models to the compatibility list as well as add new features.
Facebook Home will launch on April 12th on the phones mentioned above, with a tablet version promised but expected to be months away.