Facebook's Project Spartan targets Apple's devices to take on Apple - Report

Facebook is launching a new HTML5-based platform, Project Spartan, with the target of mobile Safari to work on the iPhone and iPad.

Facebook would have a great control over it as it would work on Safari and it won’t be distributed through App Store.

Dozens of developers are working with Facebook on the project, to have apps for the platform that range from games to news-reading apps.

After the recently revealed partnership of Apple with Twitter over iOS5, Facebook’s obvious target is Apple and their iOS devices, though the platform will be available for Google Android devices and others.

Facebook will never admit this, but those familiar with the project believe the intention is very clear: to use Apple’s own devices against them to break the stranglehold they have on mobile app distribution, TechCrunch reports.

Facebook so far hasn’t done much with the mobile space and with the Project Spartan, they intend to have Credits built-in to alloy developers to sell apps and offer in-app purchases.