Facebook seeks to be mobile phone 8216;Home8217; of Googles Android OS users

The family of applications is intended to offer a new Facebook-focused home page for users of Android-based phones. It is designed to show off pictures and make messaging easier on the Facebook platform.

The first phone with the new package installed will be made by HTC and be sold in the United States with ATamp;Ts wireless service for about 100,starting April 12. Users of some other HTC and Samsung Android phones will also be able to download the software starting on that day,with Facebook planning to roll it out more broadly to other Android devices in the coming months. It will be available in Europe soon with the carrier Orange,Zuckerberg said.

The new interface places a heavy emphasis on photos,much like the recent changes made to Facebooks news feed feature on the Web.

We think this is the best version of Facebook there is, Zuckerberg said.

Analysts say Facebook needs to find a way to play a bigger role in delivering what consumers want from their phones: ways to communicate,find information,shop and be entertained. The company would especially like to become that workhorse for the vast majority of its users who live outside the United States and from whom,so far,it barely profits.

Brazil and India are home to the largest blocs of Facebook users after the United States,and their numbers are growing swiftly as smartphone penetration increases in those countries. Many Indian cellphone makers,for that reason,have Facebook already installed on their home pages. SOMINI SENGUPTA