Orange, Alcatel and Facebook Join Forces to Offer the First Official Facebook Phone

The main goal of the mobile phone and the smart device industry, has always been to keep people connected whilst on the move. Whether you were on holidays, studying or working abroad you could always keep in touch with colleagues and loved ones. However, coverage limitations in certain regions have not always made this possible. With these new developments though, the world appears to have gotten even smaller. Orange, Alcatel and Facebook have joined forces recently to produce new low cost mobile devices that enable internet access for all users across the globe.

The devices:

Three models have been developed by Alcatel, exclusively for Orange which come pre-loaded with Facebook. These phones feature a dedicated Facebook button, making it easier to connect with your Facebook friends. Users can now become even more interactive with the world around them through Facebook mobile. For example, all your phone contacts are integrated with Facebook and you can post pictures taken with your phone camera directly onto your Facebook page. You can also contact your ‘friends’ directly through the Facebook mobile system.

Pricing:

The three models vary in price, however not one of them could be deemed expensive in comparison to other devices available on the market. The least expensive is estimated at circa £35, the second phone at £50 and the third, for under £100. All come with different specifications. The least expensive, which is the 585F, comes with a QWERTY keyboard, the 813F which is the middle range phone also comes with a QWERTY keyboard but with the addition of a 2.4 inch touchscreen. Both of the cheaper models feature an Opera mini browser and default OS from the factory, whilst the more expensive model is loaded with an Android 2.2 Operating system. The 585F is the lowest in price and seems to be aimed at users in developing countries with remote areas in mind, the model also features GPRS connectivity due to limited media and low-coverage zones.

These low-cost phones have been released throughout Europe and Africa and are already creating a buzz with users. Keep in mind, Nokia have also announced the release of future low-cost phones with Facebook integration, definitely a step in the right direction. This seems to be a move towards Internet democratisation and will allow users of all nationalities to become more globally connected.

Facebook has long been recognised as one of the most popular online Social Networks and Orange have protected this by putting in place a “Digital Coaching Strategy” which will help users throughout the process of connectivity and Facebook registration, helping those less familiar with Facebook to learn the ropes. This coaching strategy will also let users explore their phones capabilities without taking away from the interactive experience.

With the release of these phones comes a new wave of Facebook users and Internet enthusiasts, making the online world even larger and the offline one smaller again. I read recently, that since the introduction of Facebook, the well known 6 degrees of separation theory is now defunct and has been reduced to 4 degrees between every person on this planet. Could these new phones make it 3?

About the guest author: Izaak is an SEO engineer for Electric Dialogue, a London based SEO Agency, whose clients include steak restaurants in London, managers of airport lounges and biotech companies.

This is a unique article published on SEO Desk with exclusivity.

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