Facebook’s Paper App is launching February 3rd on iOS

Mere hours after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talked about more Facebook apps coming in 2014, the company announced this morning the imminent launch of their new iPhone app, Paper.

First things, first. As a recent dumper of the iPhone (Android all the way!), I am saddened that I won’t be able to test out the first app to come out of Facebook Creative Labs. But, with a team full of dedicated Apple users, I’m not too worried about missing out on all the fun.

A Flipboard lookalike or a replacement for the standard Facebook app?

From the app’s site and other commentaries through the interwebs, you would think that Facebook is seemingly transforming their overall mobile UX, which—at least on the iOS platform—they desperately need to. However, Paper is built to address Facebook’s desire to grow in the single-use apps world (does anyone remember the great Poke vs. Snapchat battle?).

With the Paper app, users get a beautiful experience with its integrated news reader and access to Facebook stories, photos and statuses. Sounds alot like Flipboard, of which I’m a big fan. While it looks like both Paper and Flipboard function as image-oriented gesture-controlled news readers for your phone, Paper will be taking it up a notch with a phenomenally gorgeous UI and the ability to post to Paper—ultimately to Facebook itself— via a mobile-user friendly WYIWYG editor.

Will Paper overtake the standard Facebook app?

So, is Paper a replacement for your iPhone’s Facebook app? Simple answer, probably not. Paper’s ultimate goal (and Facebook Creative Lab’s) is to provide its users a small set of functionality of what Facebook’s standard app does: Read and learn what’s happening around the world and with  your friends. Now, given how precious home screen real estate is, Facebook’s standard app may eventually find itself in some secondary position, or even in a folder collecting dust. It just depends on whether Paper will deliver all that it is promising.

Are you planning on getting and using the Paper app? Share what you think about it with me on Facebook!