There is no way, absolutely no way, that Apple will surrender its iPhone interface to Facebook Home, analysts said today.
"Apple will not do Facebook Home as implemented in the first version of Android. Absolutely not," said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy.
"The chance of that happening is slim and none," chimed in Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates.
The experts weighed in on a report Tuesday by Bloomberg, which quoted a Facebook executive saying that the Menlo Park, Calif. social networking giant is talking with both Apple and Microsoft about pushing Home onto iOS and Windows Phone 8.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook Home on Android two weeks ago, and the app hit the Google Play e-market last Friday. Home, part interactive lock-screen, part app launcher, part user interface (UI) replacement, is the company's biggest-yet attempt to push into mobile. But reaction from both users and analysts has been mixed.
"We've shown them what we've built and we're just in an ongoing conversation," Adam Mosseri, Facebook director of product, told Bloomberg about discussions with Apple and Microsoft.
Earlier this month, Zuckerberg also talked about Apple, noting that the two companies have a "great relationship" and that Facebook is in "an active dialogue to do more with them."
Good luck with that, said analysts.
"Facebook may be dogging anyone who listens, but Home as it exists today will not be on iOS," said Gold.
"Never," replied Van Baker, an analyst with Gartner, when asked his take on the likelihood that Apple would give up its home screen, even its lock screen, to the interactive Facebook Home. "Why would Apple ever surrender the home screen? Apple believes that Facebook is important, they don't want to surrender anything to the Android platform, but they would never allow Home on the iPhone."
The experts cited one overpowering reason why Apple would reject any entreaty from Facebook: Apple's UI. The design of that distinctive interface, and its contribution to the success of the iPhone are the Cupertino, Calif. firm's "crown jewels." It's a big part of what makes an iPhone, well, an iPhone.
"There's absolutely no chance of this," said Moorhead. "The magic of [the iPhone] comes from the holistic experience Apple provides. With Home, they'd lose that holistic experience."
The UI is one of Apple's most-important strategic possessions, Moorhead added, and it jealously guards that UI -- including the iPhone's home screen -- from any interlopers.
In fact, Apple, more than any other mobile operating system developer or smartphone maker, is fanatical about keeping its customers close, and in not allowing even the thinnest wedge to come between it and those customers.
