Facebook Denies Phone Rumors

Is Facebook attempting to be the new Google? It might be, if the latest rumors are to believed. Mobile developers at Facebook are said to be working on a secret project, and that project may be a Facebook phone—despite the company's denial.

Two well-known developers at Facebook, Joe Hewitt and Matthew Papakipos, are said to be holed up working on a project that few people have knowledge of, including other Facebook staff. Hewitt is known for his work on Firefox and a web-based "OS" known as Parakey before working for Facebook. There he worked on a mobile version of the website for the iPhone, as well as creating the native iOS client.

Certainly these two developers have the chops to create some type of mobile OS built around Facebook and a user's contact information. But another recent Facebook hire may also be a factor in such a project as well. Former senior product manager for Android, Erick Tseng left Google for Facebook in May, saying via Twitter that he planned to "innovate at the intersect [sic] of mobile and social."