

Facebook says it isn’t building a Windows 8 app - mohamedattahri
http://venturebeat.com/2012/10/30/facebook-says-it-isnt-building-a-windows-8-app-directs-us-to-microsoft/

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shin_lao
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
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
_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.

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ulber
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).

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

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derefr
> 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.

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dsirijus
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.

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bonzoesc
The difference is iOS has been sold on hundreds of millions of phones. Windows
Phone 8 has sold zero.

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WrkInProgress
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).

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freehunter
And Windows 8 has sold 4 million copies as of the last figures I saw.

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

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

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Encosia
That seems foolish, if true.

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avolcano
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.

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MatthewPhillips
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.

~~~
avolcano
Yes, Windows 8 will ship on millions of desktops and laptops. And almost no
one using those devices would prefer a full-screen Metro app to the website.
This isn't like Instagram or something where a native app _is_ the service;
the vast majority of people using Facebook are going to be doing it through
the browser.

So you're right, Windows 8 will sell a lot of copies for PC usage, and maybe a
few people will find apps they want to use in the store, but primarily, those
people are going to prefer browser apps to Metro apps, guaranteed - store apps
offer no advantage, in this case.

Now, Windows 8 on tablets? If that takes off, I'm sure Facebook will start to
target it. Until it does, though, I think we'd all rather them spend their
resources on the platforms that they know are important to the vast majority
of their users.

~~~
MatthewPhillips
I agree with most of your premises but not your conclusion. I would just say a
couple of things:

1) Microsoft is intentionally blurring the line between tablets and PCs. Usage
patterns will be different between one extreme -- something like the surface
-- and the other extreme -- a tower PC / monitor combo. But between those
extremes there's a lot of middle ground; convertible tablets, laptops with
touch screens, all-in-one desktops with touch screens. I don't think it's so
easy to say that most people will fall into a traditional desktop usage
pattern because a lot of those people won't be using a traditional desktop
computer.

2) When you're dealing with a user base the size of Windows, even a small
percentage of users using the Windows Store still adds up to a lot of people
in absolute numbers; competitive with what the other tablet platforms will
have.

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wilhil
Just like they didn't have an ipad app and said they never would.

give it a few months...

