Facebook rewrites iOS app
The social networking site has
rewritten its iOS app, converting it from HTML5 to the native Apple Objective-C
code. The refined app will address the issues of the previous HTML5 version making
it much ‘faster, more reliable, and easier to use’, according to Facebook’s Jonathan
Dann. It is hoped this will lead iPhone and iPad users into staying on the
site longer and thus, ‘increasing
their exposure to adverts’.
The move has so far been hailed by
users of the app who have long been calling for an improved version. The key
seems to be in the speed of the update. It has been explained that the HTML5 version
‘had to download the user's entire timeline every time they called it, and had
to use slow implementations of Javascript’. The new, more
responsive app solves these problems and should enable users to spend
longer on the site, instead of becoming frustrated with the service.
The news follows a string of attempts
by Facebook to increase their advertising revenue. Already, the site has begun
to trial ‘sponsored
stories’, a move which sees adverts connected to the users, and their friends’
‘likes’, crop up on their news feed. In this case, businesses can increase the
likelihood that their advert will be seen by paying a fee to the site. Earlier
this month, Facebook also announced that ‘third-party
app developers could start placing ads in users' mobile-device news feeds’. By
clicking on one of these adverts, the user will be redirected to the particular
app store to potentially purchase the app. Facebook gains revenue through this
by charging a fee for each click.
Addressing their mobile audience is a
smart move from Facebook as users increasingly turn to this platform. As well
as the iOS rewrite, it is also hinted that ‘other mobile platforms are on the
way’. This is both through the blog post and from reports that Facebook are
aiming to recruit around 200 engineers to write for mobile by the end of the
year. At present, the site is even running training
sessions on writing code for iOS and Android.
The move has sparked the native-app
debate and whether Facebook’s creation will see an increase in the number of
these. Initially, Facebook bucked the current trend, creating an Objective-C
code app, but this was later replaced by the HTML5 version. The reasons behind
this were, in part, because of Apple’s software review system and because the
HTML5 version ‘made it easier to make changes to the multiple platforms simultaneously’.
This reasoning has been mirrored by numerous apps but recently, moves towards
native apps have increase due to the advantages they afford. With Facebook
actively stepping up their mobile app services, this is likely to see rivals
and other app makers make similar changes. The US music service Pandora has reflected
Facebook’s pioneering move, creating their own native Android app to add to
their current HTML5 and iOS services.
Overall, the rewritten app from
Facebook should be beneficial all round. Not only will the move potentially fulfil
Facebook’s aim to increase their advertising revenue, but it may also see the
further creation of native apps from other developers. Instead of merely opting
for ease, these developers may now realise the real benefits from native apps
and how they are appreciated by users.
Josh Bennett, Content Writer
@JoshAtSMF @SocialMediaF
Facebook rewrites iOS app
Reviewed by Mili and Paul
on
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Rating:
Reviewed by Mili and Paul
on
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Rating:
Mili and Paul
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