Although excited tech enthusiasts anticipated Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to announce the release of a Facebook phone, the social network visionary instead unveiled the new, game changing Facebook Home user interface that sees Facebook switching the focus of the average Android phone design from functionality to friendship.
The new Facebook Home UI will operate as a new age app suite styled specifically for Android phones. Featuring pop-up user faces, messaging systems that behave more like group chats and a specialized Facebook algorithm to monitor all this for you, it's clear that Facebook Home is determined to put "the people first and then the apps."
Facebook has had a turbulent relationship with Google, designers of the Android platform, and so this collaboration between these social networking giants is a lucrative and surprisingly amicable development. Zuckerberg also noted that soon "the idea of a modern computer won't be around," an eerie yet plausible observation that causes one to consider the growing importance of smart phones and the vision of UIs like Facebook Home.
Revolutionary Social App Interfaces
Facebook Home is Literally Changing the Face of Smartphones
Trend Themes
1. Friendship-focused Interfaces - Disruptive innovation opportunity lies in designing interfaces that prioritize social connections over functionality.
2. Group Chat Messaging - An opportunity exists for messaging systems to adapt to the ease and intimacy of group chat features.
3. Social Media Algorithm Integration - The integration of intuitive algorithms to monitor and facilitate communication on social media apps can lead to unprecedented shifts in user experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - Social media apps and platforms have the most to gain from investing in and adopting new interface trends that prioritize user connections.
2. Smartphone Manufacturing - Smartphone manufacturers can revolutionize the user experience by designing interfaces tailored towards promoting social connections as opposed to app functionality.
3. Messaging Services - Messaging service providers can capitalize on the growing demand for more dynamic group chat features and integrate them into their systems to provide better user experiences.