Facebook has launched a mobile application for feature phones (cellphones not in the “smartphone” category) and picked Toronto-based discount brand Mobilicity as its sole Canadian wireless partner.
The new application promises simpler homescreen navigation, contact synching and faster scrolling of news feeds and photos for feature phone users, compared to similar applications or mobile sites, Facebook said in a blog post.
The application works on Nokia, Sony Ericsson and LG models and is free to all Mobilicity customers until April 25.
“We were thrilled when Facebook approached us and invited us to be the only Canadian [provider] involved in their global rollout,” said Sara Moore, vice-president of marketing, Mobilicity.
“We’ve had a lot of success with the different Facebook promotions we’ve done and they thought we’d be the right partner to launch this app in Canada.”
Mobilicity won’t disclose how many of its customers use feature phones, but Moore said the application will be of interest to a “significant portion” of its base.
The app first launched in the U.S. two weeks ago, and will soon launch in Mexico, India and Bulgaria, according to Facebook.
“We want people to have a great mobile experience no matter what type of phone they carry,” Facebook said in a blog post.
“Smartphones have offered better features for sharing with friends but aren’t used by most people around the world,” the post reads. “We’re launching a new mobile app to bring Facebook to the most popular mobile phones around the world.”
Moore wouldn’t say how many of its customers have downloaded the app so far, only that Mobilicity is “really happy with how our customers have responded.”
Mobilicity is promoting the app to members of its database and through Facebok ads and in-store materials from Denstu Canada.
