Facebook may be looking toward mobile games
Facebook has hired the development team behind the Spaceport framework. Spaceport exists as a platform to help mobile games developers publish their products across multiple platforms. The platform has been used to expand the reach of the mobile games space, allowing developers to access platforms that they would not have had access to in the past. Spaceport can, for instance, be used to take a web-based game and bring it to Android mobile devices, effectively converting it into a mobile title.
Facebook has a strong history in the gaming field
It is no secret that Facebook has a strong interest in gaming. In the past, the company has leveraged its status as a social network to expose millions of consumers to the games it had supported. These games brought in significant revenue for Facebook and the social network had once been considered an ideal platform that developers could use to connect with a massive audience. Facebook has been losing traction with developers over the pas few years, however, as more developers begin to favor the Android and iOS platforms due to the rampant popularity of mobile games.
Spaceport team may help Facebook break into mobile gaming
In hiring the Spaceport team, Facebook may be making a move into the mobile space. The social games that are supported on the site are still very popular among Facebook’s users, but the company has been showing significant interest in the prospects that could be gained in the mobile gaming field. Mobile games have come to represent one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry, which is enough to entice several companies to look toward getting involved in gaming.
Mobile is becoming the primary focus of the social network
Facebook has been reforming its online presence recently. The social network has improved its mobile platform to align better with the interests of its users and Facebook has launched new versions of its SDK to Android and iOS developers. The social network, as a whole, is becoming more mobile-centric as well, with many of the features being added to the social network catering to the mobile space specifically.
Facebook could be showing more enthusiasm for mobile commerce
It is no secret that Facebook is looking to appeal more heavily to mobile consumers. The social network has begun seeing its place as social media dominator slip over the past year as a growing number of tech-savvy and younger consumers begin to look elsewhere for their social networking fix. Facebook recently identified mobile as its future, but the social network’s exact plans therein are still somewhat vague. Mobile commerce, marketing, and mobile games may be part of the company’s plans to solidify its grip on the often fickle realm of social networking.
Facebook acquires Osmeta
Facebook has announced its acquisition of Osmeta, a software startup with a focus on the mobile sector. The acquisition comes on the heels of the launch of the Facebook Home application. The app serves as a sort of faux operating system, changing the way a smartphone’s interface looks and functions. The goal of the application is to make Facebook ever-present in the lives of mobile consumers by, quite literally, making the social network the first and last thing people see on their mobile devices.
Mobile plans are not yet clear
Exactly what Facebook plans to do with Osmeta is not clear. Osmeta notes that it has been working on a large project for some time, but details concerning this project are equally unclear. The company currently accounts for 19 software engineers from varied backgrounds. There is speculation suggesting that Facebook has plans for a new mobile commerce application or mobile commerce features that will be incorporated into the Home application. Facebook has shown some interest in mobile commerce in the past and has even recently begun charging for certain services it used to offer for free; services that mobile consumers must pay for if they want to use them.
Facebook may eventually address mobile commerce
Like other social networks, Facebook is currently at a crossroad. The social network is becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the concept of monetization, while it is also facing strong feedback from its users who want to see the social network remain a free platform. Whichever path it chooses, the company will remain focused on the mobile space, which will eventually bring Facebook to confront the prospects of mobile commerce more aggressively.
