Social networking site Facebook has revealed a new version of their website aimed at mobile phones. Consisting of only text, and with many of its features stripped out, Facebook Zero focuses on allowing access for those with mobile devices and low bandwidths.
Reported to be launching “in the coming weeks”, the move comes after recent figures released by the company said that their site was now attracting over 100 million individuals from mobile phone sources. Announcing the new version at the Barcelona based Mobile World Congress, a spokesperson said that Facebook Zero “omits data intensive applications like photos. In addition they said “We are discussing it… as an option to make Facebook on the mobile web available to everyone, anywhere and allow operators to encourage more mobile internet usage.”
And the move may well be welcomed by network operators who of late have seen rising costs as they try to continue offering high bandwidth using applications access to customers. CCS Insight analysts said that critical bandwidth could be freed up from networks due to the use of Facebook Zero, particularly after recent figures from the GSM Association showed that nearly 50per cent of UK mobile internet time was spent browsing Facebook services.
Facebook Zero is the latest service to be revealed by the popular social networking company, with their previous Facebook Lite already aiding access for those with poor connections in developing countries.
