HTC First (a.k.a. the Facebook Home phone) dropped from AT&T
The HTC First, advertised as The Facebook Phone, has reportedly been dropped by AT&T after dismal sales and an advertising campaign that seemed designed to creep people out.
The HTC First features a replacement launcher called Facebook Home, along with some apps for a more polished Facebook experience. Google’s own Sundar Pichai even told Wired that, “in the future we reserve the right to change Android in such a way that invasive techniques that Facebook Home uses wouldn’t be possible.” (However, this reads more like a veiled threat to misbehaving launchers, instead of a direct attack against Facebook Home itself.)
The HTC First is the second phone to be known as the Facebook Phone, although the HTC Status had a longer run on AT&T than the First.
The HTC First will still be available on other carriers, but it will lack the Facebook Home integration which seems to be the reason for it being discontinued by AT&T in the first place. The general consensus among HTC First users seems to be “good phone, bad launcher.”
Facebook Home is currently available for a select few devices on Google Play and is maintaining a solid 2.2 out of 5.0 rating, with over half the reviews (8,857 as of this writing) ranking it as one star with battery drain, lack of widgets, and lack of folders, as the primary reasons for dislike.
[BGR]
