The Forgotten Facebook Phone That Almost Was

Summary

In 2011, HTC launched the Status, a uniquely designed Android phone with a dedicated Facebook button, aiming for a simpler social media era. Despite multiple names across regions due to trademark issues, it was marketed as the "Facebook phone." Unlike its contemporaries focusing on large screens, the Status featured a compact form factor, a physical QWERTY keyboard, and came with accessories like wired headphones. Its angled aluminum chassis was designed for ergonomic comfort during calls. HTC's custom Android skin, Sense, added features like custom widgets and unlock animations, though it sometimes strained the phone's limited processing power. The dedicated Facebook button was context-aware, suggesting shares for web pages, music, photos, or locations. While groundbreaking for its time, the 5-megapixel camera produced grainy results, and the user experience had limitations like the lack of system toggles in the notification shade and mediocre call quality. The HTC Status, priced at $49 with a two-year contract, did not sell well, signaling a rejection of dedicated "Facebook phones" that would later be confirmed by the failure of the HTC First. The reviewer also shares how defending the HTC Status in a writing sample led to him becoming a gadget blogger.