Facebook F8 reveal: Parse for IoT, Messenger as a Platform … and Teleportation Station

25 Mar 2015

As the countdown begins to Facebook’s F8 shindig a notification went out that signalled Facebook plans to reveal a version of Parse for the Internet of Things, Messenger as a Platform and “the Teleportation Station.”

A notification went out that read: “The Garage and Demo areas are now open! Just revealed: Parse for IoT, Messenger as a Platform, and the Teleportation Station.”

Clearly this is a message that was meant to go out after Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote.

The slip-up suggests some interesting possibilities.

Using Facebook’s mobile app building site Parse for Internet of Things devices opens an exciting dimension in terms of what Facebook plans to do next in terms of embedding social networking on every device. Could you use your fridge to order products you happened to “Like”?

 

Facebook’s Messenger service represents a considerable threat to traditional text messaging and the news last week that Facebook is making it possible to send money via Messenger hints at broader plans for the Messenger Platform.

The idea of a Messenger as a Platform element to F8’s schedule of reveals will no doubt chime in with the very development community Facebook wants to woo. Think about a whole suite of capabilities within Messenger beyond smiley faces and bank transfers.

What is the Teleportation Station?

The one thing that has everybody stumped is “Teleportation Station.” What could that possibly mean.

If we were to hazard a bet on the matter Facebook’s US$2bn acquisition of Oculus Rift last year saw Zuckerberg suggest that as well as gaming VR could be used for a variety of purposes, including next generation video conferencing.

Perhaps Facebook has created a Teleportation Station technology that brings you into the very room – virtually – of the people you want to meet with across multiple time zones and geographies.

Well, we can only wait until after Zuckerberg takes to the stage in San Francisco.

Oculus image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com