EE has confirmed to Pocket-lint that Facebook has recommended that EE holds-off the UK launch of the HTC First, saying that Facebook will be focusing on adding features to the Facebook Home app.

An EE spokesman said: "Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customisation features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision.

"Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future."

When Facebook Home was announced, so too was the much-hyped "Facebook phone", the HTC First. It is a low to mid-range handset that comes with the Facebook Home software as the front-end as standard. It is also dying a death before it has really taken off, with AT&T allegedly pulling the handset from sale in the US due to slow sales.

READ: HTC First review

Mobile News earlier today reported that sources claimed the phone would been pulled from a UK launch. An actual UK release date for the HTC First was not given at the original press event, with it coming out in the US only on 14 April, but EE was understood to have the UK exclusive.

Although the HTC First might not now arrive on these shores (and disappear from sale elsewhere too), the Facebook Home app for Android is still available on Google Play, albeit with a 2.5 star rating.