Facebook Allegedly Poaching iPad, iPhone Engineers to build own Smartphone

Two years back, TechCrunch reported that Facebook is entering the mobile phone market and is secretly building software for a smartphone. The report added that the social-networking behemoth is partnering with a third party to make the hardware. The rumor was re-surfaced last year when ATD reported the phone was code-named “Buffy” and would run on an Android OS.

The NYTimes now reports that to streamline the process Facebook is poaching a number of former Apple iPhone/iPad engineers and is planning to release its own smartphone by next year, quoting anonymous sources at the company and others who have been briefed on Facebook’s plans.

The company has already hired more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers who worked on the iPhone, and one who worked on the iPad, the employees and those briefed on the plans said.

Do we really need Facebook branded phone? What super features will it carry? A Facebook-built smartphone could allow you to send messages, post updates and share photos or article links more seamlessly. What else?

Many technology pundits believe that there’s no clear-cut consumer need for a Facebook phone. Such a move would be a bad idea for the social media giant. What do you think?