Facebook Next: Going Beyond Instagram

 

By Jim Lundy

The next Facebook  FB (eg. Facebook Next) is already under development. No one knows what the app will be called or who the lucky innovator will be, but it is clear that there will be a new app that will rise, challenge and overtake Facebook.  In 2006, if anyone thought that Myspace would be toppled by Facebook, there would have been lots of laughs. NewsCorp bought Myspace in 2005 for $580 Million and because they did not keep people contributing content (other than music), the Myspace Social Network eventually died. NewsCorp sold Myspace for just $35 million.

 Facebook – all about People and Content

FB understands social networking is all about content and pictures is what people love to share. Facebook has also discovered that they can make a lot of money and as each month goes by they try to figure out new ways to monetize the content that consumers share there (see: Your Life, For Sale on Facebook). Why did FB buy Instagram? They need to keep feeding content into their social network to keep it vibrant.

The problem with Facebook is content ownership and privacy. Consumers are slowly beginning to understand that and the next Facebook will deliver better privacy and not try to steal content from users, at least until they discover how much money they can make off of that content.

Will Twitter overtake Facebook? Most likely not.

How will Facebook Next get Started?

How will the Facebook Next app get started?  It will most likely start with the youngsters who already are experimenting with new social networks to get away from their parents. Will it be browser based? Most likely it will be extremely easy to use from mobile devices (way beyond what we have today) and it will leverage more real time collaboration and communication than what FB offer today.

Google coined the phrase ‘don’t be evil’ and today the question is: Is Facebook Evil? The answer depends on who you are, but one thing is clear is that Facebook is being used by apps, people and governments to try to spy on you. Enterprises should be aware of this. Aragon Research has written on this topic (See Aragon Research Note: In a World of Cyber-Espionage, Facebook is Not a Friend of Your Enterprise. So while we all wait for Facebook Next, be careful what you share and the apps you use on FB.