Continuing their recent photo-sharing binge, Facebook today revealed that they have ‘assimilated’ the management team of Lightbox. The London-based photo-sharing site and camera app Lightbox, targets Android devices and HTML 5, while Facebook’s newest toy, Instagram, is primarily aimed at iOS (iPhones/iPads) and only recently launched an Android version. It is likely that Facebook will ask the Lightbox team to continue along their Android development path.
Facebook’s recent move to acquire Instagram (now delayed pending FTC review) will help bolster the social media site’s mobile offerings. ‘Mobile’ is a crucial part of FB’s strategy as more and more users are accessing the Internet through their iPhones, iPads and other smartphones and tablet devices. Facebook’s management team, with a gentle nudge from their investment bankers (FB will have an initial public offering [IPO] of stock – on Thurs. May 17), are most likely on a mission to increase mobile ad revenues, and to make FB mobile more “sticky” (i.e. find more reasons for users to regularly use FB via their mobile devices).
Wildly popular photo-sharing apps/sites are primarily aimed at smartphone users and buying up the most strategic sites/apps is one way for Facebook to shore up a potentially weak link — ‘mobile.’ Will there soon be even more photo-sharing/app/site acquisitions for Facebook or other social media platforms?
