Facebook revs up mobile device plans

A woman uses a smartphone to perform various tasks in New York in this September 25, 2009 file photo. REUTERS/Natalie Behring



Credit: Reuters/Natalie Behring

PALO ALTO, Calif | Wed Nov 3, 2010 3:29pm EDT

PALO ALTO, Calif (Reuters) - Facebook will expand and simplify its mobile platform for the 200 million people who use the world's largest social network on their mobile phones, but denied rumors that it was developing its own phone.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that the social network, which has tripled its number of mobile users from 65 million at the same time last year, will also make its "Facebook Places" physical location-based feature available on Google Android-based smartphones.

The company is stepping up efforts to make its 500-million-member social networking service available to people when they are away from their personal computers.

As an example of the features it will build into the mobile version, Facebook will help merchants offer deals to customers who "check in" nearby, marking their physical location.

The social network has lined up 22 partners, including Macy's, American Eagle Outfitters, the Palms casino in Las Vegas, and the Gap -- which is offering to give away 10,000 pairs of jeans on an upcoming day.

It will allow mobile users to sign on once to get access to Facebook and its partner sites, including Groupon.

Facebook is one of several established Web companies, including Google and Yahoo, expanding their businesses to mobile devices as people increasingly surf the Web and send emails on mobile phones.

Its mobile users are twice as active on Facebook as people who get access to the service on their personal computers.

The new "Places" feature, rolled out in August, is supposed to help users share with others where they are, figure out who is nearby and check what is happening or available there.

The addition of location services to Facebook opens new revenue opportunities for the company, but also presents it with delicate privacy challenges.

It said that "Places" will be accessible via an Apple iPhone app that Facebook designed or from the social network's mobile version on touchscreen smartphones.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic and Edwin Chan. Editing by Maureen Bavdek and Robert MacMillan)