Well, we never thought it would happen because of its intense rivalry with Google, but Facebook is almost ready to launch an official app for Android phones. Hints are already popping up here and there, but I’ve been able to confirm it. The app could hit the Android Market (its version of the App Store) as soon as the end of this week.
Facebook’s Android app will launch with a more limited set of features than its current, and very popular, iPhone app. For instance, it won’t have an inbox, I’m told by a source who has seen it. But it will have the full Facebook stream, which is really all you need. The Facebook Android app is built around the stream and status updates. It was built with Facebook’s new Stream API. Your updates keep coming in, with a notification number telling you how many new items are available at any given time.
As recently as last October, Facebook had no interest in building an Android app. Why help its arch-rival Google? Back then, Michael wrote:
From what we hear, Facebook has dedicated exactly zero resources to creating a version of the service for Android, and has no plans to launch anything at all.
So what changed? Well, for one thing, Android is now on the verge of becoming a serious competitor to the iPhone, with nearly two dozen new phones set to launch this year. For another thing, the Android team at Google offered to help, and even loaned Facebook an Android engineer. Facebook still doesn’t have one of its own, says my source. (Facebook wouldn’t comment). Some Google engineers are already using the app like crazy.
Meanwhile, we are still waiting for the next version of Facebook’s iPhone app, which will include events, video uploading, and so much more. The current app, which many social networking junkies find indispensable, launched a year ago.
Ah, how I wish I wasn’t locked in a contract for another year with my current phone. The Twitter apps for it suck. Android phones keep getting better.
FB stream is not urgent stuff, why would I need baby pictures and “my weekend was so awesome” updates on my phone?
Of course, Android is getting better and better. Looks like Android app developers like us will also benefit a lot from this.
@Ferodynamics: Yes, FB stream is not urgent. Still it is the most interesting way as it puts you in touch with friends and fellow men.
And Eric, I just love the title. This is one of the TechCrunch+Parislemon+Mike Arrington headlines.
i desperately bit the bullet and paid out of my VZ contract and moved to tmobile…haven’t been happier.
Nice!
Not too far from the crowded world of the iPhone, there is a little town called Android.
Here freedom is respected, restrictions are unheard of and progress is promising.
Viva Android!
Currently using Babbler, and it’s doing a pretty good job for me. Unless the Facebook app seriously out-performs Babbler, I’m not likely to switch. It sounds like out-of-the-box Babbler has more functionality.
Looks like things are progressing nicely. Once things start to pick up, Android will be unstoppable!
Facebook is over the hill.
Hopefully it’s not as crappy as the iPhone FB app.
A lot more is possible over the Android compared to the iPhone, with background processes and update notifications.
Maybe so, but the iPhone version fails on two major things:
1. It doesn’t show items in your feed which are on the website. Look on your iPhone, not much going on, look on the website, far more. Sure I’m happy not to see the crappy quizes – but i’d like to see all the updates!!
2. Some of the stuff it does show you is completely out of date. For example, I’m still seeing that someone has got engaged in my iPhone feed despite the fact that happened 3 weeks ago and plenty of other things have happened since then.
It’s not just the iPhone version either – look at m.facebook.com or iphone.facebook.com, both of which suffer the same problems.
If this is all due to the stream API, then the Android one is going to be just as bad.
And down goes the iPhone.
Might actually be worth selling the 3gs, using the money to break contract, and get an android phone now. waiting to see more on these new devices.
I am absolutely thrilled. Good to see rivals working together no matter how limited. Looking forward to the new app.
I’m just waiting for someone to cop the exact dimensions / form factor of iPhone and slap android in it.
maybe this could be Motorola’s revenge
Mobile phones are the new cross platform porting decision of the 90s.
Get your compilers shined up, grab a stick of Juicy Fruit. The binary is going to move you.
Microsoft proved that Office for Mac team could do things that outpaced the core Office for Windows team in UI treatments.
The next critique will be of versions and when and how they are delivered on phones. Just like the press generated by updates (12.2.0) for Office 2008 for Mac, there will be folks lining up to say Facebook isn’t porting fast enough or playing favorites with specific phones.
The desktop dilemma is coming to a pocket near you.
It is quite weird for me that all I hear is iPhone OS and Symbian.. Does Android gonna popup and be part of it as well?
I’m using Babbler on my HTC Magic, it’s great!
How quickly times change. It was only a couple months ago that Facebook threw a hissy fit and forced Google to yank all the fb apps from the market. But that kind of stunt doesn’t last long when you can still install apps from 3rd party developers’ sites, WITHOUT rooting the phone!
Good to see that Facebook have seen the light now. Perhaps the Facebook app will even be quite fast as they control their own APIs. Functionally though I don’t think it’ll advance much over Babbler.
Woohoo! Get your Android on!
And we just launched Mabilo app on android! hooray!
I’m reading this on my android based HTC hero. Can’t wait for the app as the mobile web version doesn’t work well on here. Love my Hero though.
I demand more huge clock-face apps.
And where is the Facebook app for Symbian. C’mon Facebook, take a look at your mobile site usage statistics, I bet you could learn a couple of things from there…
Thanks for this. Will pass on.
I need to get my hands on Sony Xperia or HTC Hero first before fully switching from iPhone.
SO where is it? It’s Saturday and it’s still not here!
…and now it’s Tuesday
Sounds like FB lacks technical expertise if they had to take a developer on loan from Google. Android is supposed to be a very easy development platform. One would think that FB would have those resources on hand.
Of course, the FB website code often loops, has major latency, etc., showing its roots as something put together by inexperienced developers. It could use a serious overhaul
If FB has its strategy well thought out, apps for all platforms should be appearing immediately. This is not rocket science anymore.
i guess the pigs didnt fly far enough.
or even get airbourne for that matter