Facebook continues to try and capitalize on its popularity in the mobile space and the team plans to take a crack as mobile password management.
Facebook has a “Platmobile” team (platform plus mobile) that is looking at instantly personalizing your device so you won’t have to remember every single password. There are obviously privacy implications, but, if done well, this could make it much easier to surf the web on a mobile device. I know I hate having to input my passwords on these small screens.
“The Platmobile team is focused on improving that experience. I don’t know the exact timeline on that, but it’s something we’re really focused on because the user experience on the phone right now is sub-par,” Facebook told TechCrunch.
This is all a part of Facebook’s strategy to become a mobile platform and I think it has a great chance to succeed with that goal. The company recently introduced a way for users to sign up and experience the social network solely from a phone, which should help it spur adoption in developing countries where it can be tough to get a hold of a computer.
Facebook Places could also be a key service in the company’s plan to be a mobile platform. This service enable users to check in to locations and share that information with their friends. We’re already seeing companies like Doursquare, Gowalla and Yelp jump on board this location-sharing service because Facebook already has a strong and mainstream social graph.
This location service could potentially be tied into other mobile services. Think about a location-based deals app which shoots you coupons when you’re near a retail establishment. If that coupon used a smart social layer to determine which products or discounts would likely interest you, then that service could be more useful to all involved. Facebook could be that social layer.
[Via TechCrunch, photo]
