Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is shutting down Face.com, a facial recognition technology developer purchased by the social media giant for $60 million in June.
According to the announcement posted by Face.com, its Klick app has been removed from the iOS app store, and some of its existing products and services will also be closed as part of the company’s transition process. The company also announced that all data stored using the Klick app will be deleted and encouraged users to download all their photos until July 20, 2012.
Furthermore, the company’s e-mail to developers reads, “We’re excited to move forward to work with all our friends at Facebook. Part of this process includes closing down other products and services that we are no longer able to support, and this includes the Face.com developers API.”
Many developers reacted negatively to the announcement and they think that the shutdown of the Face.com developer API seems to contradict the expectation of the company in its statement last June. The Face.com team said, “Now, lots of developers use Face.com technology to power various apps and make wonderful products. We love you guys and the plan is to continue to support our developer community…” Some are already looking for a replacement.
Technology reporters were no longer surprised of the Face.com shutdown. Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) did the same thing to all the companies it acquired except for Instagram, which was purchased by the company for $1 billion. The deal is still subject to final approval by US regulators. Facebook moved all the top management team of the companies it acquired and closed them down to work at Facebook’s main headquarters in Palo Alto.
Face.com was established by Gil Hirsch, Yanib Taigman, Moti Shniberg and Eden Shochat in 2007.
