GigaOM
Liz Gannes, Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 11:06 AM PT
Bebo this morning said it will launch an application platform of its own tonight, closely modeled on that of Facebook. The social network, which claims 40 million users and has an especially strong presence in the UK, in fact is working closely with Facebook to remain compatible as it changes, so that developers don’t have to put much work into transferring what they’ve already built.
Bebo CEO Michael Birch said his company is concurrently working with Google’s OpenSocial interoperability initiative, but wanted to get its own platform out the door before that alliance is ready. Bebo is posing itself as a friend to everyone, but since Facebook and Google are at odds, we’ll have to see how its allegiances are tested when OpenSocial launches (which Birch said he expected will take place “early next year”).