Facebook Phone's poor US sales, feedback delays Europe launch

Facebook Phone's disappointingly poor customer feedback in the United States has resulted in the delay of its launch in Europe.

Facebook Phone's disappointingly poor customer feedback in the United States has resulted in the delay of its launch in Europe.

The HTC handsets, which run Facebook's enhanced Home software, designed to replace the phone's home screen with FB feed and chat options, has flopped with users.

EE, a UK mobile operator, confirmed that poor customer feedback is the reason why the phone's Europe launch has been stalled.

The BBC said that the delay in the launch follows the departure of high profile employees from HTC, including Chief Product Officer Kouji Koudera, Asian CEO Lennard Hoornik and Director of Global Communications Jason Gordon.

Ex-HTC product strategy manager Eric Lin used his Twitter handle to ask other HTC employees to quit, adding that they would end up being much happier.

The FB Home was launched by Zuckerberg on the promise that it would change the relationship people have with their phones.

Initially available exclusively on HTC's First smartphone, the software was made available on other Android powered handsets.

The report added that the software did not boost sales of HTC's First device, and the handsets have since been heavily discounted and dropped by AT and T, which is the biggest mobile network in the United States.

Facebook made a statement that it is focusing on making the software better based on customer feedback, and the company will limit the supporting new devices. It also thinks it as sensible for EE and Orange to hold off deploying HTC First in Europe.

UK mobile network EE said it would contact customers who had shown interest in the device, while continuing to build its strong relationship with Facebook.