Facebook has sent out invitations to a mystery event next week, sparking rumours that it is set to unveil a smartphone, shop or new marketing tools.
The firm has sent out invites to US journalists for a special event at their usually secretive Silicon Valley HQ. The invites promise to allow attendees to ‘see what we’re building’.
There is speculation that Facebook could be launching its own smartphone, although CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the company has no such intentions.
However, recent reports claim it has poached engineers from Apple’s iPhone and iPad team to work on the project, which is believed to be being built by HTC.
Facebook has also previously collaborated with HTC to launch the ChaCha and Salsa phones with a dedicated Facebook button and deep integration of the social network.
Facebook is also launching its Messenger app which allows users to place free voice calls to friends. The feature will eventually allow users to make free internet voice calls to any Facebook friend.
Other possibilities could be advertising or ecommerce related. Facebook recently launched a handful of advertising services, including new ways to promote posts and display ads.
It also unveiled its Facebook Exchange ad system last September. So it wouldn’t be too surprising if the company announces more ways to for users to increase their visibility.
There have also been reports that Facebook is planning to implement video ads in users’ newsfeeds. This service may roll out in the spring, according to reports, although Facebook hasn’t confirmed any such plan.
With Facebook’s recent push into the e-commerce space, there’s also the possibility that it could announce something about growing its presence in online shopping.
The social giant announced more partnerships with multiple retailers-including Fab.com, baby Gap and Random House-allowing users to purchase items on its platform.
The event will be Tuesday at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
