WSJ: Facebook Is Developing A Flipboard-Style News Reader

WSJ: Facebook Is Developing A Flipboard-Style News Reader

So long Google Reader, hello… Facebook? The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Zuckerberg and co are working on a service that “displays content from Facebook users and publishers in a new visual format tailored for mobile devices”.

Citing “people with knowledge of the matter”, the newspaper suggests that the service — known internally as a Reader — has been under development for more than a year. Apparently it resembles Flipboard, letting users quickly swipe through posts and articles, and it’s limited to mobile; there’s no mention of a desktop app.

It’s unclear if Facebook is planning to launch the app or that matter — if it does — whether it will keep the name Reader. But if it does make its take on feed reading public you can bet it’ll be commercial laden, as the folks at Facebook desperately to try generate ad revenue.

Arguably, Facebook doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to branching out from social with its apps — remember Poke? — and with plenty of others clamouring for the news feed top spot thanks to the demise of Google Reader, competition will be tough. We’ll just have to wait and see what comes of the app — if it ever sees the light of day. [Wall Street Journal]

Picture: Pan Xunbin/Shutterstock


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