Facebook has partnered with 14 mobile carriers to launch a new application for accessing the social networking site on feature phones.
The Facebook for Feature Phone app, developed by Snaptu, represents a bid to reach the majority of mobile users who don’t use smartphones.
Facebook said 200 million of its 500 million active users access the site on mobile devices, and that those subscribers are twice as active as non-mobile customers.
The app will work on 2,500 Java-enabled phones from vendors including Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and LG.
Like Facebook apps for iPhone and other smartphones, Facebook’s new app allows feature phone owners to synchronize their contacts, view photo and friend updates, and navigate through a home screen.
The app is initially available through selected carriers in 14 countries, with nine of those - Dialog (Sri Lanka), StarHub (Singapore), Three (Hong Kong), Life (Ukraine), Play (Poland), STC (Saudi Arabia), Tunisiana (Tunisia), Vivia (Dominican Republic) and Vodafone Romania - offering the app immediately.
Canadian carrier Mobilicity in Canada, Reliance in India, Mexico’s Telcel, TIM in Brazil, and Bulgarian cellco Vivacom will launch it in the coming weeks.