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Facebook says it isn’t building a Windows 8 app

23 points by mohamedattahri 14y ago

dsirijus 14y ago
Well, they did slid in bed with Apple as first-class citizen service in iOS 6. Then again, so did Twitter. I wonder how different were those two deals.
- bonzoesc 14y ago
  The difference is iOS has been sold on hundreds of millions of phones. Windows Phone 8 has sold zero.
  - WrkInProgress 14y ago
    This article is talking about Windows 8, not Windows Phone 8. And Windows Phone has had OS level integration with Facebook from day one (i.e. the launch of Windows Phone 7).
    - freehunter 14y ago
      And Windows 8 has sold 4 million copies as of the last figures I saw.
    - bonzoesc 14y ago
      Facebook doesn't typically do OS-level integration on any OS, and clients are only really useful on mobile devices (desktop-spec web browsers and connections are very much good enough for Facebook).
derefr 14y ago
> We only build the iOS and Android FB apps. You should check in with Microsoft on anything related to Windows 8. Maybe I'm just reading a bit too much into the particular phrasing (esp. the definite article used), but this sounds more like "not my department" than "we don't do that." Though "not my department" is admittedly an odd thing to hear from a "manager of corporate communications"... unless it was bubbled up the chain of communication, without editorial reinterpretation, from somewhere in the mobile apps department.
Encosia 14y ago
That seems foolish, if true.
- avolcano 14y ago
  Uh, really? Not developing for a completely unproven platform, where most users are served perfectly fine by the existing web app, isn't "foolish," it's a good use of resources.
  - netcan 14y ago
    Especially since you can wait a little and change your mind later. Then you have a decent chance that some of the developers working on it will have done a Windows 8 app before.
  - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
    I don't know how you can call Windows an "unproven platform". Even what was considered a disaster, Vista, sold more copies in the first few months than OSX had sold in its entire lifespan (at that point). So internet opinions of Windows 8 aside, it's going to sell a lot of copies, and all of those people will have a tile labeled "Store" staring them in the face every time they get back on their computers or launch a different app.
    - veemjeem 14y ago
      Windows on mobile devices is an unproven platform. Facebook waited until the iPad 2 came out before considering targeting that platform. It doesn't matter how many Windows copies are sold since those desktop users know exactly where to access facebook.
      - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
        Windows on tablets and Windows on desktop share a common app platform. You have to think about it as one. Facebook might be thinking that Facebook.com is good enough, as they did with the iPad for a long time, but they've also recently said that they are going to put more emphasis on native development.
aristidb 14y ago
Just like they don't have an official Windows 7 app...
- bunderbunder 14y ago
  Considering the app store in question was introduced with Windows 8. . .
shin_lao 14y ago
On Windows Phone 7, the Facebook app is made by Microsoft. It will probably be the same for Windows 8... Facebook probably requires a larger user base before investing on a platform.
- sspiff 14y ago
  Although I generally prefer third-party app providers, for something like this, and given the "quality" of the Android app, I think this is a good thing. I mean, Microsoft obviously have a bigger investment in providing a smooth, deeply integrated app that is consistent with the platform's look and feel. And given the low-quality apps Facebook has put out there in the past, I also think they have a higher bar as far as quality is concerned. Also, I think Windows 8 - not WP8 or Windows 8 RT necessarily, but the whole family, including the desktop/laptop market - will end up having a significant user base.
  - shin_lao 14y ago
    Also, I think Windows 8 - not WP8 or Windows 8 RT necessarily, but the whole family, including the desktop/laptop market - will end up having a significant user base. I agree. You can design one app for three major platforms.
    - ulber 14y ago
      You can share significant amounts of code and design, but WP8 will necessarily require departures from the W8 app in UI design. For example WP8 uses panorama and pivot controls, which are not available in identical form in W8 (although analogs do exist).
wilhil 14y ago
Just like they didn't have an ipad app and said they never would. give it a few months...
xradionut 14y ago
Microsoft has already announced at the Windows Phone 8 roll out event this week that MS is building the Facebook app.

Well, they did slid in bed with Apple as first-class citizen service in iOS 6. Then again, so did Twitter. I wonder how different were those two deals.

bonzoesc 14y ago
The difference is iOS has been sold on hundreds of millions of phones. Windows Phone 8 has sold zero.
- WrkInProgress 14y ago
  This article is talking about Windows 8, not Windows Phone 8. And Windows Phone has had OS level integration with Facebook from day one (i.e. the launch of Windows Phone 7).
  - freehunter 14y ago
    And Windows 8 has sold 4 million copies as of the last figures I saw.
  - bonzoesc 14y ago
    Facebook doesn't typically do OS-level integration on any OS, and clients are only really useful on mobile devices (desktop-spec web browsers and connections are very much good enough for Facebook).

derefr 14y ago

> We only build the iOS and Android FB apps. You should check in with Microsoft on anything related to Windows 8. Maybe I'm just reading a bit too much into the particular phrasing (esp. the definite article used), but this sounds more like "not my department" than "we don't do that." Though "not my department" is admittedly an odd thing to hear from a "manager of corporate communications"... unless it was bubbled up the chain of communication, without editorial reinterpretation, from somewhere in the mobile apps department.

Encosia 14y ago

That seems foolish, if true.

avolcano 14y ago
Uh, really? Not developing for a completely unproven platform, where most users are served perfectly fine by the existing web app, isn't "foolish," it's a good use of resources.
- netcan 14y ago
  Especially since you can wait a little and change your mind later. Then you have a decent chance that some of the developers working on it will have done a Windows 8 app before.
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  I don't know how you can call Windows an "unproven platform". Even what was considered a disaster, Vista, sold more copies in the first few months than OSX had sold in its entire lifespan (at that point). So internet opinions of Windows 8 aside, it's going to sell a lot of copies, and all of those people will have a tile labeled "Store" staring them in the face every time they get back on their computers or launch a different app.
  - veemjeem 14y ago
    Windows on mobile devices is an unproven platform. Facebook waited until the iPad 2 came out before considering targeting that platform. It doesn't matter how many Windows copies are sold since those desktop users know exactly where to access facebook.
    - MatthewPhillips 14y ago
      Windows on tablets and Windows on desktop share a common app platform. You have to think about it as one. Facebook might be thinking that Facebook.com is good enough, as they did with the iPad for a long time, but they've also recently said that they are going to put more emphasis on native development.

aristidb 14y ago

Just like they don't have an official Windows 7 app...

bunderbunder 14y ago
Considering the app store in question was introduced with Windows 8. . .

shin_lao 14y ago

On Windows Phone 7, the Facebook app is made by Microsoft. It will probably be the same for Windows 8... Facebook probably requires a larger user base before investing on a platform.

sspiff 14y ago
Although I generally prefer third-party app providers, for something like this, and given the "quality" of the Android app, I think this is a good thing. I mean, Microsoft obviously have a bigger investment in providing a smooth, deeply integrated app that is consistent with the platform's look and feel. And given the low-quality apps Facebook has put out there in the past, I also think they have a higher bar as far as quality is concerned. Also, I think Windows 8 - not WP8 or Windows 8 RT necessarily, but the whole family, including the desktop/laptop market - will end up having a significant user base.
- shin_lao 14y ago
  Also, I think Windows 8 - not WP8 or Windows 8 RT necessarily, but the whole family, including the desktop/laptop market - will end up having a significant user base. I agree. You can design one app for three major platforms.
  - ulber 14y ago
    You can share significant amounts of code and design, but WP8 will necessarily require departures from the W8 app in UI design. For example WP8 uses panorama and pivot controls, which are not available in identical form in W8 (although analogs do exist).

wilhil 14y ago

Just like they didn't have an ipad app and said they never would. give it a few months...

xradionut 14y ago

Microsoft has already announced at the Windows Phone 8 roll out event this week that MS is building the Facebook app.