Same problem as ~4 years ago when people first saw the iPad: "What exactly is it?" "It's iPad." "How do I quantify it in my paradigm of notebook computers?" "You don't."
You're trying to quantify it as a smartphone. Facebook is positioning it as...well...a Facebook.
That seems like a somewhat poor example. When people first saw the iPad, it was quite rightly explained as "basically a big iPhone", which was completely sufficient to get an idea of the product.
I like your analogy. People have been talking about a "Facebook Phone" for years now, but Home actually makes a lot more sense than trying to compete directly by forking Android or building their own hardware. It feels like one of those ideas that seems so obvious after the fact that you wonder how you never thought of it.
No, because the iPad is pretty obvious: you touch to screen. I can't even tell what's going on. Is it replacement for the lock screen? But then what's up with the messenger? Why is there an ad for an htc phone, but it's also android.... It's just confusing what they are trying to communicate other than attractive people.
It's just confusing what they are trying to communicate other than attractive people.
They aren't trying to communicate anything other than attractive people. The target market doesn't know or care what "htc" or "android" or "lock screen" etc are. The target market spends money to be attractive people.
It's basically a Facebook branded home screen. Instead of the regular home screen with a bunch of icons to launch different applications, the home screen is now essentially a Facebook application. There's also some stuff to access Facebook functionality (chat, etc.) while using other applications.
I mean, I gathered some things. And yes, I watched the large video (after some buffering issues) scrolled through the bullets of features and let it sink in.
I wasn't drawn in enough to read all of the text, but I did take in the headlines and subheadings. And form all of that I left with the impression that it was either:
a. some sort of app for Android (standalne)
b. an OS (some kind of lite version of Android with just Facebook social features) and/or;
c. a phone that Facebook were making with HTC;
... or some combination thereof.
I understand now that it's a homescreen replacement. But that certainly wasn't the impression I left with.
