Facebook today announced the release of its first native application for the iPad, coming as an update to the company's existing iPhone application. The new iPad compatibility is being featured on Facebook's site.
A New Way to Experience Facebook
- Enjoy bigger, better photos: Your photos take on new life on the iPad. They're big, high-res and easy to flip through—like a real photo album. - Focus on what matters: With less on the screen, it's easier to zoom in on your friends' photos, updates and stories. - Navigate anywhere, fast: Just tap, slide or pinch to get from one screen to another and back again in no time. - Never lose your place: Use simplified navigation to send a message, see your notifications or browse your bookmarks without switching screens. - Play games on the go: Play your favorite Facebook games wherever you are, and on a bigger screen. - Tap to send messages: A simple dropdown menu makes it easy to scan and send messages without visiting your inbox.
The updated app should be propagating through to the App Store at any moment [App Store].
Facebook's long-awaited iPad application had apparently been delayed several times, with lead developer Jeff Verkoeyen quitting in part due to the delays. The New York Timesreported back in June that a Facebook app for iPad would be released "in coming weeks". In late July, an iPad version of the existing app for iPhone was discovered inside the iPhone app, accessible through a tweak, but Facebook quickly disabled access to the iPad-specific interface through that mechanism.
Update: The universal Facebook application (version 4.0) is now available in the App Store.
Details on the improvements to the iPhone version of the app:
With improved search and browsing, the facebook.com features you use most are now just a touch away. It’s a faster, fuller Facebook for iPhone.
- Games & Apps: Play games and access your favorite apps on the go - Navigation: Send a message or see your notifications from any screen, and swipe to browse Facebook without losing your place in News Feed - Bookmarks: Your groups, pages and apps are all in your left-hand menu, and the ones you use most are right on top - Search: Search for anything on Facebook—people, apps, pages and more—without having to click around or switch views - Security: We’ve added a few updates to make the app more secure
Update 2: Some users who already had the Facebook app installed on their iPads are reporting that the app is now crashing immediately upon launch. Deleting the application from the device entirely and redownloading it appears to resolve the issue.
Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March.
The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch.
The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Monday December 2, 2024 2:57 am PST by Tim Hardwick
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1 from May next year, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process.
From May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service after the specified date unless they ...
Wednesday November 27, 2024 5:05 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in early December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as...
Monday December 2, 2024 4:04 pm PST by Juli Clover
The foldable smartphone market has stalled with customer interest in foldables waning, but that could change when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, according to display analyst Ross Young.
In a report on the current foldable smartphone market, Young says that Apple is expected to "enter the foldable market" in the second half of 2026. Apple's "dominant position in flagship smartphones" could...
Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for.
Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Wednesday November 27, 2024 12:19 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
An imaginative iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro ...
WIRED today shared in an in-depth interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking questions about AI, Vision Pro sales, pre-recorded keynotes, and more.
The wide-ranging interview covers Apple's pivot toward AI technology, including what Apple Intelligence features Cook finds most useful, Apple's partnership with OpenAI, and the environmental impact of AI. For example, WIRED asked Cook about...
