HTC First: The Facebook Home Phone With A 4.3-Inch Display
The HTC First arrived in 2013 as one of the most unusual Android phones of its generation. Rather than competing through a huge screen, a stylus or an extravagant camera, it placed Facebook at the centre of the mobile experience. Its defining feature was Facebook Home, a custom Android interface built around people, messages and social updates.
HTC supplied the hardware, while Facebook shaped the software. The result was a compact handset with a 4.3-inch display, a clean body and a dedicated social focus. At a time when smartphones were quickly becoming larger and more powerful, the First aimed to make communication feel more immediate and personal.
The phone was launched in the United States through AT&T, where it was sold at an aggressive contract price. That limited distribution made it a curiosity in other markets, including Australia. Importing one was possible, but network compatibility, warranty support and the changing value of Facebook Home made the decision far less straightforward.
For technology enthusiasts, the HTC First remains an interesting snapshot of the early 2010s. It shows how a major social network tried to influence the entire smartphone interface, and why a polished concept still needed broad carrier support and long-term software appeal to succeed.
A Compact Design With A Clear Identity
The handset used a simple, understated design that contrasted with the bright colours and decorative finishes common on some 2013 Android models. Its soft-touch plastic rear cover made the phone comfortable to hold, while the rounded corners and relatively narrow body suited one-handed use. The First was available in black, white, red and pale blue variants, although availability depended heavily on the carrier.
At 4.3 inches, the screen sat between the smaller displays of earlier compact phones and the larger panels arriving on flagship devices. The 1280 by 720 resolution produced a sharp image for its size, with good text clarity and strong viewing angles from the LCD panel. It was not as dramatic as an AMOLED screen, but it was practical for browsing, messaging and reading social updates.
The front of the phone had capacitive navigation buttons and a front-facing camera for video calls. HTC kept the design visually restrained, allowing the software to provide most of the personality. That approach still feels familiar in modern mid-range phones, where a clean exterior is often paired with a heavily customised user interface.
Buyers researching similarly modest camera phones from the period can compare it with the Sony Xperia L, which took a more conventional Android approach and placed greater emphasis on its rear camera hardware.
Facebook Home Changed The Android Experience
Facebook Home was the defining reason to buy the HTC First. Instead of opening on a traditional grid of application icons, the phone displayed Cover Feed, which showed a continuous stream of photos and status updates on the lock screen and home screen. Users could swipe through content without launching the Facebook application first.
The interface also introduced Chat Heads, circular profile images that floated above other applications when a Facebook Messenger conversation arrived. Tapping a Chat Head opened a message window, while dismissing it required dragging the image to the bottom of the screen. This idea was distinctive and easy to recognise, even though it could become distracting during ordinary phone use.
The HTC First integrated these tools deeply into Android. Facebook updates became part of the phone’s visual rhythm, appearing whenever the display was unlocked. For a committed Facebook user, that could make the handset feel quicker and more social than a standard Android launcher.
There was a trade-off. Cover Feed gave Facebook priority over calendar appointments, weather information, widgets and app shortcuts that many Android owners considered essential. People who preferred a quiet home screen or used several social networks could find the experience restrictive. Facebook Home could be disabled, but doing so removed much of the phone’s original purpose.
Hardware That Was Balanced For 2013
Under the cover, the HTC First used a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a dual-core 1.4GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. That specification was firmly mid-range, yet it was sufficient for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Facebook Home, web browsing and common messaging applications. The phone did not aim to challenge premium models such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One on processing power.
Storage was limited to 16GB, with no microSD card slot for expansion. That was manageable when applications and photographs were smaller, but it gave users less flexibility than phones equipped with removable storage. The handset also included 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, giving it a useful communications package for its time.
| Feature | HTC First | Typical 2013 Flagship |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 4.3-inch 720p LCD | Around 4.7 to 5.0 inches, often Full HD |
| Processor | Dual-core Snapdragon 400, 1.4GHz | Quad-core Snapdragon or comparable chip |
| RAM | 1GB | 2GB |
| Rear camera | 5MP | Usually 8MP to 13MP |
| Storage | 16GB, no microSD | 16GB or more, often expandable |
| Battery | 2000mAh | Approximately 2100mAh to 2600mAh |
| Software | Android 4.1 with Facebook Home | Android with manufacturer launcher |
The specification was coherent rather than exciting. Its smaller screen consumed less power than many larger displays, and the modest processor kept heat under control. However, the 2000mAh battery was not especially generous, particularly for users who spent the day browsing an image-heavy social feed over mobile data.
The rear camera captured 5-megapixel images, while the front camera supported video calls and self-portraits. Image quality was acceptable in bright conditions, but the phone lacked the camera reach and processing ability of more advanced models. It was designed around social sharing, not serious mobile photography.
Everyday Performance And Battery Life
For basic tasks, the HTC First was pleasantly responsive. Menus opened without much hesitation, messages were easy to manage and the 720p display made websites comfortable to read. Facebook Home was also smooth enough when the phone had a stable data connection and a modest number of background services running.
Performance became less convincing with demanding games or heavy multitasking. The 1GB of RAM left less room for several applications to remain active, so returning to a browser or map could involve reloading. Modern applications would place much greater pressure on the hardware, even if the phone still handled calls and basic offline functions.
Battery life depended heavily on how frequently Cover Feed refreshed and how often the user interacted with Facebook. Light users could generally reach the end of a day, while frequent social-network users were more likely to need a top-up by evening. LTE browsing, location services and screen brightness could reduce endurance further.
The phone’s compact proportions were helpful when carrying it around, especially compared with the large Android devices becoming fashionable at the time. It fitted easily into a pocket and was comfortable during calls. That practical size was one of its strongest qualities, even if the battery could not match larger contemporary handsets.
Australian Availability And Network Questions
The HTC First was never a mainstream Australian release. Its initial carrier arrangement centred on AT&T in the United States, so Australian buyers generally had to rely on imports. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone customers would have needed to check the exact model’s 3G and LTE bands rather than assume that an unlocked phone would work fully on every local network.
This matters even more today. Australia has retired 3G services, and older imported phones may lack the required 4G coverage or VoLTE support for reliable calls. An AT&T model could connect to some Australian networks for data in certain circumstances, yet band differences and carrier certification could still create problems. A handset that appears unlocked may therefore be unsuitable as a dependable everyday phone in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or regional areas.
The original American contract price also does not translate neatly into Australian value. The First launched at about US$99.99 with a two-year agreement, while its full retail price was much higher. Import costs, delivery, taxes and the absence of local warranty support could make a used example less attractive than an ordinary unlocked Android phone sold through an Australian retailer.
For historical comparisons, the wider budget phone guide provides useful context around the kinds of affordable handsets that competed for attention in this era. Australian buyers would generally have received better practical value from a locally stocked model with familiar bands, replacement batteries and accessible after-sales support.
How It Compares With Other Social Phones
The closest comparison is perhaps the BlackBerry Z10, a device that also tried to make communication central to the smartphone experience. The BlackBerry Z10 used BlackBerry 10 gestures, a unified inbox and the BlackBerry Hub to bring messages into one place. Its focus was productivity and communication, whereas the HTC First turned a social network into the phone’s primary interface.
The two devices also represented different ideas about modern mobile use. BlackBerry assumed that people wanted work email, text messages and multiple accounts organised together. Facebook Home assumed that people wanted friends’ photos and updates immediately visible. Both concepts reduced the distance between the lock screen and communication, but their audiences were quite different.
Compared with the HTC One from the same period, the First was clearly less ambitious as a piece of hardware. It had a weaker processor, a lower-resolution camera and less premium construction. Its advantage was focus: users who cared deeply about Facebook did not need to navigate through layers of menus to see what friends were posting.
That focus could also make the phone age quickly. Facebook’s priorities changed, the Home interface lost momentum and Android applications demanded more capable hardware. A conventional Android phone with a removable launcher had a better chance of remaining useful because its identity was not tied to one social platform.
Is The HTC First Worth Buying Today?
As a collectible or historical curiosity, the HTC First is appealing. It documents a short period when major internet companies considered placing their own interfaces above the Android experience. The 4.3-inch screen, colourful casing and floating Chat Heads make it easy to identify, while its limited release gives it some interest among mobile technology enthusiasts.
As a daily phone in Australia, the case is much weaker. The ageing battery, outdated Android version, limited storage and uncertain network support create practical obstacles. Facebook Home is no longer a compelling reason to accept those compromises, and many of its ideas have since appeared in ordinary messaging and social applications.
A second-hand example can still be worthwhile if it is being purchased for a collection, a display shelf or an examination of early smartphone design. Check that the battery is healthy, the touchscreen has no dead zones and the precise model number is known. Network compatibility should be verified before payment, especially if the phone will be used outside major metropolitan areas.
The HTC First was a bold experiment rather than a technological failure in every respect. Its hardware was sensible, its display was well judged and its communication tools were memorable. The problem was that a phone built around one social service needed that service to remain central to people’s daily habits.
For readers exploring older handsets, treat this model as a piece of mobile history first and a working phone second. Compare its bands, battery condition and software limitations with current Australian alternatives before buying, and use the surviving specifications to understand how quickly smartphone expectations have changed.