Facebook copies Windows Phone?

That is right!
Facebook have been experimenting with monetization of mobile user traffic and the same time trying to deliver to the mobile user the best and relevant experience. It has been a struggle.
Just over a year ago Facebook have not had mobile advertising unit and was slow to react to a trend that more than half and growing # of its users were on mobile devices. Now mobile revenue is substantial, thanks to changes in strategy and swift implementation.
Facebook has struggled building great experiences for mobile users. Their HTML5 apps have substantial latency issues. The design is not the best either. To change that Facebook started building native apps and experimenting with the design of its site: its mobile site is horrendous today.

Facebook Phone has been in the rumors for several years. Now a struggling phone maker HTC will be selling phones with Facebook home screen. Facebook Home will be pre-installed in HTC First and several other main supported Android phones will be able to install the 'Home app' and change the home screen. Facebook has stolen 'People First' idea from Microsoft as Windows Phone has People Hub that truly revolves around people. Facebook will not deliver on its 'People First' as world does not start and end with Facebook. People use Twitter, LinkedIn, Exchange, Gmail ....

Will this help struggling HTC? Unlikely because of the fundamental cost structure of an OEM. Margins are razor-thin in such business and the successful model revolves around 'free parking'. Samsung makes money on selling chips in its devices. Amazon makes money on stuff they sell through. Google makes money on ads. None make money selling hardware.

Windows Phone doubles market share. Blackberry off to great start

Looks like Windows Phone has doubled its market share. Why? Because Windows Phone is the highest customer rated phone and has been for some time. Four of ten top rated phones are Windows Phone. Nokia global supply chain and retail muscle helped the even more impressive growth. In Italy for example Windows Phone commands over 13% market share.

BlackBerry has made great competitive phone Z10 which is the second best rated on Amazon. Early success claimed by BlackBerry is 1 million sold phones and reaching profitability again. These news will help the company improve its takeover price as the acquisition remains only a matter of time.

Nokia is back on track

After two years of cost cutting and product improvements Nokia has reported profit for the first time in 1.5 years. Strategy being flagship of Microsoft Windows Phone has started to pay off. Sales grew by 11%, 4.4 Lumias were sold last quarter and sale price was on average 33% higher, grossing more revenue.

Nokia and AT&T will attempt to defy iPhone’s paradigm

Carriers who sell iPhone have love/hate relationship with Apple. Revenue per user (ARPU) from iPhone customers is higher than other phones, but device subsidies and other costs are also higher. Apple dictatorial ‘my way or highway’ of doing business gets under their skin. Apple has gutted mobile value chain disproportionally shifting profits. While number of iPhones sold increases - carriers margins keep dropping.

AT&T, the iPhone beachhead, is trying to shake things up by partnering with Nokia on the launch of flagship Lumia 900. Nokia is desperate to retake US market after being irrelevant for the last 7 years and has excellent product to show at low price. Nokia has gotten its foot in the door already with more affordable Lumia 710 on T-Mobile network. The device, which has been free with contract has attracted a lot of new smart phone buyers and sold better than Samsung Galaxy S II.

Nokia and AT&T will throw extraordinary resources to ensure the success of Lumia 900. First, Nokia ensured their Lumia 900 was the most talked about product during the CES in Las Vegas. Now AT&T is going to follow the suit. Cnet quoted AT&T device head Jeff Bradley “At all levels, this is a notch above anything we've ever done" , noting that includes the launch of the iPhone.