Facebook has decided to switch from HTML5 to a native app, completely rewriting it from the ground up. This change claims to give the app twice the speed as before, and adds a new banner to let you tap to see more stories without the need to refresh.
New photo viewing options include the ability to close with a swipe down of your finger and notifications have become easier to access.
Comments and reactions on Twitter and Facebook indicate this was a very welcome update, even bringing some users back to using the app again.
This is why I’ve been so quiet over the last year. The new Facebook for iOS: facebook.com/notes/facebook…
– Jonathan Dann (@jonathandann) August 23, 2012
“So, we rewrote Facebook for iOS from the ground up (I really did open up Xcode and click “New Project”)” LOL
– Dayton Lowell (@daytonlowell) August 23, 2012
Our shiny new Facebook for iOS app is here! It’s native and twice as fast. Yay. newsroom.fb.com/News/A-Faster-…
– Keegan Jones (@keeg) August 23, 2012
Facebook was not kidding — the new iOS app is much faster. The photo-browsing experience has improved 10x, &the little UI tweaks are slick.
– Sharon Vaknin (@sharonvak) August 23, 2012
A faster Facebook iOS app? Downloading. Now.
– kacy fortner (@kacyf) August 23, 2012
What do you think about these changes? What would you like to see Facebook add or change in the app next?
I just updated on both my iPad and iPhone. I think it’s a little snappier when you click things. I do the like the animation when I like a post the thumb sort of drops onto the page. Time will tell if this app actually loads things!
Thanks for sharing your feedback! I like that effect too
Time will tell as to whether the new app will ultimately be an improvement over the HTML5 one, but my initial impression is that it is indeed faster. I’m liking it so far.
It’s about time facebook’s app has been quite slow…. Lol, I kinda miss just calling people instead of Posting on peoples’ walls
I LOVE it. Took them long enough! Facebook Messenger app ate the Facebook app lunch. The new app makes them about the same..
I think this is long over do the need to update the app on a more regular basis. I can’t wait until they day comes that apps will be easier to update.
personally i don’t have a smartphone but having a better app is allways a good thing. Seems like it would be a good time to buy FB stalk.
I like the new look. It sure is faster. I have noticed a real speed difference with this.
But to be honest, I don’t really use the app too much, because I use the Web more for Facebook, and the rest of my social media. I don’t know, I’m more connected to the internet on my PC for most things, than my iPhone. But that’s just me.
i just update the facebook app on my iphone and it is much faster. I just facebook app alot posting pics, videos and status updates so im happy they improved it…:D
the facebook app has always felt clunky to me very buggy i prefer the browser version of facebook
Now all they need to do is make Facebook Messenger faster on iOS and they’ll be golden.
I’ve downloaded it and it works WAY, WAY BETTER than the last year’s versions and I hope they will integrate the Facebook Messenger app in the Facebook app as well with the Pages app because I don’t see the point in having thousands of apps which do different things that a company offers.
The app is definitely much faster. It’s a bit comical; I refreshed the news feed and put my device on the counter thinking it would take a few seconds to refresh, but it took almost no time at all. Even thought it was a much needed improvement, I don’t understand why it took them so long to update it. Either way, I’m happy.
Sounds like a welcome update for Apple products. I don’t have any Apple products, so I don’t know anything about the Facebook app for iOS. I haven’t had any problems with the Facebook app for Android or for Windows, but that doesn’t mean improvements can’t be made. Everything can be improved one way or another. It just takes time, patience, and maybe a little money.
I think it’s great. Not being much of a facebook user, I wouldn’t use it much. Websites and software companies have been upping their game recently – but where are the hardware increases? Maybe more efficient batteries with longer life? Sure your device has a dual, even quad core processor and a gig(or 4) of ram, but what happens with it if the battery dies?
If Apple had let apps (besides their own) use the Nitro javascript engine they probably wouldn’t need to switch the app from HTML5 to objective-C. This is just more of Apple trying to make it harder for developers to develop for other devices forcing them to duplicate all their efforts.
Well, good for them. I hate how Facebook works and largely have left but to do precision strikes on someone in my list. If I had an iOS product (I sooo wish), I would like to see how they wrote it and improved. Now, if they can do this, why can’t they do it to the whole FB user experience????
One reason more to enjoy life again free of FaceBook.