Facebook is testing a new app that’s reportedly a dialer app called Phone for Android. Recently the social networking company has rolled out a string of apps such as Home, Groups, Slingshot and Messenger, and the dialer app will be an extension of the trend.
Facebook competing with smartphones?
Android Police came across few screenshots of the new app, hinting at the company’s plan for it. Upon clicking on the Phone app, users landed on a blank page, indicating that the company is testing the app on an internal level for now, says the report.
Citing a note on one of the screenshots, the report says the Phone app from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) will read information about anyone who calls and automatically block calls from commonly blocked numbers. Such information will be inclusive of the data from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB)s vast network of people and business.
Facebook’s Messenger app is already packed with the calling feature, and it will soon be available for Facebook-owned WhatsApp. If we go by the recent trend that Facebook has been following, the social network may take the Phone app outside the main Facebook app.
By launching Facebook Home, the company has said loud and clear that it won’t shy away from competing with smartphones, and the latest phone app could be a step in the same direction.
Rising market cap
Separately, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) stock rallied to an all-time high Friday, propelling the social network’s market valuation into the top 10 among all the S&P 500 companies. Last week, the company posted its highest weekly gain in eight months, pushing the company’s market capitalization up by $16.1 billion to $231.6 billion, according to FactSet, overtaking JPMorgan Chase at $228.2 billion. Year to date, shares of the social network are up by almost 6%.
The Mark Zuckerberg-led company has not yet acknowledged anything about the Phone app, and there is very little detail available on it. The Menlo Park-based company has never gotten wary of experimenting with new features and apps, which has rewarded investors from time to time. However, at this point in time, it cannot be said if Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) will bring this app to users’ smartphones.
