Rob Enderle, an analyst at Enderle Group, was quick to point out mobile advertising is a problem for many online companies.

"The idea is to push icons onto the screen and then, when users click on the icon, they will be taken to a store to buy the application," said Enderle. "PC makers tried something similar and it was called 'crapware.' Buyers found it annoying. It caused support and reliability problems. Buyers began avoiding systems that had crapware apps."

Facebook will have to find a way to keep their ad system from suffering the same fate, Enderle added. If they can, it could prove a boon to Facebook's top and bottom lines, he added.

"If they use their knowledge of the user to present apps that the user wants but didn't know about, it could work," Enderle said.

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at , or subscribe to . Her e-mail address is .