According to Paul Amsellem at mobile marketing firm Mobile Network Group in Paris, there is also a possibility that Facebook will buy up Nokia. Which would mean that Facebook’s phone will use Windows Phone as its operating system.
– Facebook will release a Facephone. Whether it’s going to be blue with a big F as a logo, it’s going to stir the pot. So far, Facebook does not know what it will look like, but the company must implement it, says Paul Amsellem.
At the same time that Facebook has just pulled in lots of cash in connection with the company’s stock market listing, Nokia’s stock has fallen at a rapid pace. According to Paul Amsellem, this means that Facebook could buy up Nokia for ten billion dollars (around SEK 72 billion). Nokia is currently valued at $15 billion, but sales of new Windows Phone models are far from good.
Microsoft also has strong ties to Facebook as the company is one of the shareholders and the two companies collaborate in a number of areas. According to Paul Amsellem, a combination of these three companies would be very strong.
Can also buy Blackbry
He also claims that if Facebook would not buy Nokia, it could instead buy up Blackberry manufacturer RIM for less than six billion dollars. The biggest reason for buying up a mobile phone manufacturer is that Facebook would get access to the expertise in the hardware and existing collaborations with mobile operators worldwide, according to Paul Amsellem.
– Facebook needs someone with knowledge of network technologies and collaborations with mobile operators. Facebook can buy one of these players for relatively little money, says Paul Amsellem.
Although many analysts dismissed the idea of Facebook building its own phone, he believes the company needs to grow in mobile to compete in the future. Facebook has also previously admitted that the company is losing revenue on mobile users as it is not possible to show ads in the same way.
Another reason for his claims is that competitor Google recently bought Motorola Mobility, a move that gives Google a big advantage in the mobile market.