Why Mark Zuckerberg wants Facebook employees to ditch iPhones for Android devices

A large number of Facebook employees are ditching their iPhones to switch over to Android smartphones. If you thought this was a coincidence, you are wrong. It seems that the instructions to ditch iPhones in favour of Android smartphones has come from the very top echelons of Facebook.

According to Wired, the Chief Product Officer at Facebook, Chris Cox has asked a large number of Facebook employees to ditch their iPhones in favor of Android. Cox informed a large gathering of reporters at the Facebook Headquarters at Menlo Park and several others hooked in via video conference that this move isn’t an indicator of Facebook’s newfound love for Android or vendetta against Apple.

When asked why, Facebook wanted its employees to use Android smartphones, Cox said it a ‘practical decision’ because he wants Facebook employees to use their service on the platform that’s being used by majority of people around the world.

According to Cox, Facebook already has 1.5 billion users and is looking to add more users. Most of these users are from third world countries and use Android smartphones and tablets. Cox says that Facebook employees would pick up an iPhone by choice over Android. However, majority of Facebook’s new users will use Android and Facebook employees should get the same experience as these new users.

As Facebook seeks to reach more people around the world, Cox said he wanted his team to switch to the world’s most popular mobile platform “so that they can be reporting bugs and living in the same experience that most Facebook users experience today”.

The latest directive shows just how much attention Facebook is paying to the emerging markets, which are very crucial for the social networking giant’s further expansion. Facebook’s focus are the people who are just coming online, or have yet to come online. And Cox is ensuring his team understands the new Facebook user’s needs first hand.