14 DAY TRIAL // In addition to making the Facebook Home suite of applications official on Google's Android operating system, Facebook also unveiled the first handset that will arrive on shelves with it right from the start, namely the HTC First.
The smartphone will be released in four different color flavors, including black, white, red and pale blue, and will be launched exclusively on AT&T's network in the United States, starting with April 12.
Today, however, the handset went available for pre-order at the wireless carrier, with a price at of $99.99 attached to it with a two-year commitment. Users should be able to reserve it on this page.
HTC First packs a slim body, but keeps the candybar form factor of today's majority of Android-based devices. In fact, the smartphone runs under Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
It sports a 4.3-inch touchscreen display, a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, as well as support for AT&T's 4G LTE network.
HTC First arrives on the market as “the first and only smartphone” designed with the new Facebook Home, which has been built to put one's friends at the heart of their phone.
With Facebook Home, users will receive the latest updates from their friends right on the home screen, while also offering messages that can reach them no matter what they are doing.
“The HTC First will offer the best Facebook Home experience on mobile, right out of the box. That’s why we’re committed to this phone and making it exclusive in our stores,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility.
“Because AT&T offers the fastest 4G LTE in the nation, it’s the best network for Facebook Home. And the best device for Facebook Home is the HTC First.”
As Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder and CEO, said, Facebook Home was meant to deliver a brand new experience to phone users, keeping them connected with friends at all times. HTC First with Facebook Home sports features such as Cover feed, which will deliver a constant flow of updates from the newsfeed; Notifications from apps and friends; Chat Heads, a mobile messenger to allow users to easily jump in and out of a conversation; App Launcher; and, of course, pre-loaded Instagram.
“HTC has a track record of providing beautiful hardware design, and of being first-to-market with smartphone innovations,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC Corporation.
“The HTC First continues that track record, providing AT&T customers with a unique home experience that puts a user's friends and family at the center of their mobile experience.”