Former Apple employees reportedly working on Facebook iPhone app
Facebook has allegedly hired a team of former Apple software engineers to revamp its iPhone app and reports claim the social media giant is planning a major code overhaul in lieu of a simple update.
Sources told Bloomberg on Wednesday that four former Apple iOS experts have been hired by Facebook to work on speed and performance enhancements which are expected to be released in an upcoming version of the company's app for iDevices.
According to the publication, touch-screen UI developer Greg Novick; iPhone software gurus Tim Omernick and Chris Tremblay; and creator of Apple's first-party Stocks app Scott Goodson are slated to join the Facebook team. Also working on the project after having their company Push Pop Press acquired by Facebook are former Apple designers Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris, who are credited with helping to create the look and feel of iOS. Matas, for example, is credited with thinking up the battery icon an iPhone displays when the device is charging.
The news is in line with reports from nearly a month ago that claimed Facebook was working on a completely rebuilt iOS app which was supposedly set to launch in July.
Facebook is also said to be developing its own handset in cooperation with HTC and a May report claimed the company hired "more than half a dozen" former Apple hardware and software engineers who worked on the iPhone as well as one iPad engineer to complete the task. The branded phone was rumored to debut sometime between late 2012 and mid-2013 but Bloomberg now reports the timetable has been pushed back to give HTC "more time to work on other products."
Most recently Facebook launched its new App Center to promote web-based programs that integrate with the company's social network.
Sources told Bloomberg on Wednesday that four former Apple iOS experts have been hired by Facebook to work on speed and performance enhancements which are expected to be released in an upcoming version of the company's app for iDevices.
According to the publication, touch-screen UI developer Greg Novick; iPhone software gurus Tim Omernick and Chris Tremblay; and creator of Apple's first-party Stocks app Scott Goodson are slated to join the Facebook team. Also working on the project after having their company Push Pop Press acquired by Facebook are former Apple designers Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris, who are credited with helping to create the look and feel of iOS. Matas, for example, is credited with thinking up the battery icon an iPhone displays when the device is charging.
The news is in line with reports from nearly a month ago that claimed Facebook was working on a completely rebuilt iOS app which was supposedly set to launch in July.
Facebook is also said to be developing its own handset in cooperation with HTC and a May report claimed the company hired "more than half a dozen" former Apple hardware and software engineers who worked on the iPhone as well as one iPad engineer to complete the task. The branded phone was rumored to debut sometime between late 2012 and mid-2013 but Bloomberg now reports the timetable has been pushed back to give HTC "more time to work on other products."
Most recently Facebook launched its new App Center to promote web-based programs that integrate with the company's social network.
Comments
Any Facebook App is spyware to be avoided.
Unless you want Net fame.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshA
Any Facebook App is spyware to be avoided.
Unless you want Net fame.
Agreed. One app I won't use. I have a feeling though, it might be one that Apple imbeds. Hope we can delete it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rkevwill
Agreed. One app I won't use. I have a feeling though, it might be one that Apple imbeds. Hope we can delete it.
They didn't auto-install Twitter. They won't Facebook.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshA
Any Facebook App is spyware to be avoided.
Unless you want Net fame.
Are you one of those geeks that are too paranoid about their personal info?
People use FB because they want net fame? lol, too narrow
Quote:
Originally Posted by makingdots
Are you one of those geeks that are too paranoid about their personal info?
People use FB because they want net fame? lol, too narrow
Of course...
My desire to see photos from my grandmother... family on the other side of the country... mom's vacation photos...
Obviously I only care about those things to have net fame.
It's a memory hog and crashes constantly. Everytime my iPhone or iPad starts acting up I find dozens of crashes for Facebook.
If they have some Apple folks working on the app good. They will finally have folks that have a clue
I hear that from many people. Good thing one can access their site through Safari.
[quote}If they have some Apple folks working on the app good. They will finally have folks that have a clue[/quote]
Excellent point!
I have seen one of their earlier versions, which had all these icons laid out just like iOS' springboard. Then I read in the iOS Developer Guideline that one should not mimic iOS springboard in their app as it would confuse people. You know, opening an app and then looking at something similar to what you were viewing in the first place.
Facebook. Clues, that's what they need.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobringer
Of course...
My desire to see photos from my grandmother... family on the other side of the country... mom's vacation photos...
Obviously I only care about those things to have net fame.
For that purpose Facebook makes sense, but only if they keep your info within your desired group of users.
As I found with my FB ID, FB unfortunately doesn't honor your group, but regularly changes the settings structure so one's info is public to the world.
About time. The Facebook app is slow, clunky and unreliable - amazing for such a large company where such a high proportion of users access the service via smartphones. They urgently need some Apple-inspired UI advice.
That would be good. Using the web version of Facebook on the iPhone is a Far better experience than the horrible, horrible app.
That being said, although I despise Facebook, at least it isn't a Google property.
I will bet the new app is being developed so that advertising will finally be part of Facebook Mobile... their biggest revenue weakness.