It is a good news that Facebook would be updating its app to bring iOS and Android version closer together visually. This morning, Facebook has made good on its promise and is expanding the recently debuted mobile app platform beyond its iOS to Android, with the coming of latest version of its Android app. It brings with it a whole new user interface and design. If you have see the iPhone or iPad version of Facebook mobile app, then you are probably already pretty familiar with the changes that the social network just pushed out to Android owners.
The Android and web developers get the same features and capabilities which are in Iphone and iPad but it come with added benefit that they can use Credit in their apps, something that they can’t do on Apple devices. According to facebook, facebook for android makes it easy to stay connected and share with friends. You can share status updates from your home screen, chat with your friends, check out your news feed, review your upcoming events, look at your friends walls and user info, check in to places to get deals, upload photos, share links, check your messages, and watch videos.
“ This version includes our redesigned mobile user interface and social channels for discovery and engagement with your mobile web apps,” Facebook said about the updated app.
“ User can discover your apps directly in Facebook for Android via Requests, Bookmarks, News Feed, and Search. Apps can also acquire, engage, and monetize users with Authenticated Referrals and Facebook Credits,” it explained.
With this update, developers can create HTML5 apps that run, inside the Facebook app, on the two largest mobile platforms. It is important to note that both native mobile apps and HTML5 apps built for Facebook can take the advantage of the new features. According to a blog post by Facebook Keith Peiris today,
“ The new Facebook app features faster photo and album load times, meaning you should no longer have to sit and wait for new images to load when you’re out of the house and just have to check those party photos from last night”.
Among other new features included Facebook claims that the photos and album are now up to two times faster than its previous version. In other changes, notifications and messages are now on the top of app screen, so users can have a better view on these two aspects and stay updated with the latest messages. There’s also a menu bar on the right side of the screen where users can quickly access News Feed, Groups, games and apps.
Now, Facebook for Android is available as free download from Android Market and is compatible with all devices running Android 1.5 and up.
