iPhone, Android and Blackberry tend to dominate the conversation about mobile phones and features, but “feature phones,” the term used to distinguish “dumbphones” from their more multi-tasking brethren, make up nearly 80% of the worldwide market.
In a blog post yesterday, Facebook announced that they’re releasing an app for people on more traditional cell phones to allow more people to use Facebook away from home and their primary computer-like devices. Says Facebook:
Today, we’re launching a new mobile app to bring Facebook to the most popular mobile phones around the world. The Facebook for Feature Phones app works on more than 2,500 devices from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG and other manufacturers, and it was built in close cooperation with Snaptu. The app provides a better Facebook experience for our most popular features, including an easier-to-navigate home screen, contact synchronization, and fast scrolling of photos and friend updates.
The post goes on to list 14 carriers worldwide who have waived mobile access charges for the first 90 days after launch to get feature phone users good and hooked on the functionality. Facebook mobile product manager Mark Heynen says in the post that the company is working to continue adding carriers and networks worldwide.
If you’re a non-smartphone user, have you tried the Facebook for Feature Phones app? How does it stack up to your normal Facebooking experience? Do you anticipate using it after the 90 free days is up?
