Facebook denies it has abandoned Home
Will continue decorating although houseguests aren't expected
Facebook has moved to deny reports it has all-but-abandoned the much-lauded Facebook Home suite for Android smartphones.
A New York Times report said the social network had 'disbanded' the team of engineers responsible for building the custom skin, which allows users easier access to status updates, photos, messages and more.
The software, which effectively turns Android devices into a 'Facebook phone,' has experienced little success among users and virtually no critical acclaim since its high profile launch event back in April 2013.
The NYT said members of the team have now been moved to other projects like the new, Snapchat-a-like Facebook Slingshot app, while Facebook Home features like Chat Heads have gravitated to the main app.
Casting the net wider
However, following the report, Facebook told The Verge claiming that work on Home, remains ongoing, despite the absence of any sort of update since January.
All-in-all though, Facebook seems much more focused on pushing its standalone applications and services, rather than turning handsets into Facebook-only phones.
Instagram is now firmly in the Facebook camp, WhatsApp is now under its wing, Facebook Messenger is being pushed heavily, while Slingshot also recently joined the fray.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
With regards to Facebook Home. Well, if a tree falls in the woods and no-one is around to hear it, does it really make a sound?
A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.
UGreen Nexode Pro 65W 3-Port Charger review: a diminutive, fast wall charger that won’t come cheap
HPE may have been beaten Supermicro and Dell to win a $1bn AI contract, but it's not for the Colossus supercomputer
The 5 hottest reviews of the week, from Samsung’s huge S10 Ultra tablet to the best mid-range Android phone you can get your hands on