Facebook has decided to buy mobile application developer Snaptu, a move that might expand the social networking giant's reach in the cell phone market.
Snaptu specializes in applications for so-called feature phones, which are less powerful than smartphones. Such handsets make up a significant part of the market. They included roughly 69 percent of all phones and about 55 percent of overall sales in the usa, according to data from the Nielsen Company.
Even so, feature phones are increasingly ceding business to their more advanced brethren. In the fourth quarter of 2010, smartphones, including the Apple iPhone 4 and Motorola Droid X, included the five top-selling mobile phones - the first time a feature phone didn't make the list, according to research firm NPD Group.
Snaptu aims to give consumers a smartphone-like experience on their feature phones. The company recently introduced applications for Facebook and LinkedIn, the online professional network, that work on 2,500 devices.
Snaptu, that has been founded in 2007, said on its blog on Sunday that the acquisition should close within a few weeks.
Working as part of the Facebook team is the company's best bet for accelerating product development, according to the Snaptu blog post.
For its part, Facebook explained Snaptu will permit it to more quickly deliver a better mobile experience for so-called "feature" phones, which have lesser processing capabilities than smartphones.
"We soon decided that working as part of the Facebook team offered the best opportunity to keep accelerating the pace of our product development," Snaptu said in a statement. "And joining Facebook means we can make an even bigger impact on the world."
Snaptu did not disclose the price of the deal. But two Israeli newspapers reported that Facebook would pay as much as $70 million for the acquisition.
The aim of Snaptu is to develop applications that can give feature phone users the same experience as smartphone users. It is estimated that more than 90% of phones in Asia and Africa are feature phones.
Here is how to add Facebook Mobile. First, go to facebook.com and login using your email address and password. Now you will be sent to your Facebook home page.
On your home page, locate the grey tool bar in the bottom. In the bottom right corner of the screen on this tool bar, you will see the word "Applications". Click "Applications" and a menu will show up. In that menu, find "Browse More Applications" and click those words.
Now you will be sent to a page where one can browse more facebook applications. At the top left corner of the screen, you will see a search box where you can type. Type "Facebook Mobile" into the search box and click enter.
A list will pop up with your search results. Find "Mobile" by Facebook. Click on the name and you will be sent to the application page. When you are there, you may add the software at the top left part of the screen. Once you add this application and provide your mobile number, you will be sent a text message on how to finish installing the application.
In this application, that you can do a lot of your normal facebook activities from you mobile phone. Messaging and data rates will apply.
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