Facebook Abandoning HTML5 to Speed Up iOS App - Page 2

mrtune · Jun 27, 2012, 02:03 PM

I'll believe it when I see it.

robjulo · Jun 27, 2012, 02:05 PM

But, but, but, Steve Jobs said HTML 5 was the panacea, this story can't be true.

mms13 · Jun 27, 2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Mac Maniac

I'll believe it when I see it

This. The Facebook app has honestly never been good, no matter how many updates they put out.

Faster would be nice, sure - but I'd rather have bug fixes. The most annoying one is when all my friends' profile picture thumbnails get mixed around so my news feed looks like:

[Picture of Mary] Steve
[Picture of John] Annie
[Picture of Jessie] Marc

utahman130 · Jun 27, 2012, 02:06 PM

On another note, why hasn't Facebook updated the iPad app to support Timeline yet? It's been about 6 months now!

bushido · Jun 27, 2012, 02:07 PM

bring the timeline to the ipad already, cant be that hard

stridemat · Jun 27, 2012, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mms13

This. The Facebook app has honestly never been good, no matter how many updates they put out.

Faster would be nice, sure - but I'd rather have bug fixes. The most annoying one is when all my friends' profile picture thumbnails get mixed around so my news feed looks like:

[Picture of Mary] Steve
[Picture of John] Annie
[Picture of Jessie] Marc

Mine used to do that, but since a recent update this no longer happens. Are you running the most recent version?

My one pet hate is the adverts we now get in thr feed! I seem to have more adverts then actual updates.

d3bruts1d · Jun 27, 2012, 02:14 PM

This is great news and something that has been log overdue. I'm not really sure why Apple even allowed it in since it didn't offer much more functionality over the mobile website to begin with... and what functionality it did have was buggy and broken a majority of the time.

bb426 · Jun 27, 2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robjulo

But, but, but, Steve Jobs said HTML 5 was the panacea, this story can't be true.

The app is only as good as its developer.

flash84x · Jun 27, 2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoboCop001

I really hate apps that are basically just a container for a web page just to make cross-platform porting easy.

If I were an app developer, I'd sacrifice easy portability for my app running smooth on every platform. If that means hiring someone else to do the Android version, so be it.

It should be built for the platform, with the platform's native language, not as a mobile website.

And I really hope they add the "Share" button. It's been missing since v1.

I agree completely but... your executive may force your hand into it, which is probably what happened with Facebook. As an indie developer or a developer who has clout in an organization you may have this luxury.

Darth.Titan · Jun 27, 2012, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adildacoolset

It's too late. With Facebook integration in iOS 6, there is no need for a lousy, stinking, disgusting, revolting, repulsive, sickening, nauseating, stomach-churning, unpalatable, distasteful, foul, nasty, yucky, icky, gross Facebook app.

You are aware that the Facebook integration in iOS 6 requires that the Facebook app be installed right? It's just like the Twitter integration in iOS 5.

Rocketman · Jun 27, 2012, 02:30 PM

I think the main advantage to a HTML5 app may be the ability to bypass the curated app system and run in a browser or other means?

iwan073 · Jun 27, 2012, 02:31 PM

Finally! Damn I hate the current app

tirerim · Jun 27, 2012, 02:38 PM

Great, now I can figure out how the app is useless much faster.

Seriously, the number of missing features even compared to the mobile Facebook website is ridiculous. Making it faster isn't going to help if I still can't do anything with it.

atrevers · Jun 27, 2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndpitch

Welcome to the 21st century, facebook.

Hmm, not so sure that moving away from a platform that is open and easily (and quickly) portable to other ecosystems is moving *into* the 21st century! In an ideal world, HTML5 should work as fast as native apps, and all this does is highlight the shortcomings of the rendering engine used. Don't blame Facebook for this failure - this one lies at Apple's door.

adildacoolset · Jun 27, 2012, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth.Titan

You are aware that the Facebook integration in iOS 6 requires that the Facebook app be installed right? It's just like the Twitter integration in iOS 5.

Woopsie daisy. I wasn't aware as I'm not a Facebook/twitter user and I don't even use iOS 5.

Kaibelf · Jun 27, 2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustyLBottoms

About damn time.

Actually, thanks to their terrible, slow app, I use their service far less than I used to, so it was a blessing in disguise. They ruined the user experience for me.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by robjulo

But, but, but, Steve Jobs said HTML 5 was the panacea, this story can't be true.

Liar. He said it was better than Flash, which it is.

spazzcat · Jun 27, 2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYale

My first iPad was an iPad 3. Since I'm kind of new to what it means for an app to be integrated (Twitter), what does it mean for FB to be integrated come iOS6? Does it allow the app to run smoother, etc.? This is cool news though because I typically use Safari for FB rather than their app, haha.

The app is loading the something you are loading Safari.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by atrevers

Hmm, not so sure that moving away from a platform that is open and easily (and quickly) portable to other ecosystems is moving *into* the 21st century! In an ideal world, HTML5 should work as fast as native apps, and all this does is highlight the shortcomings of the rendering engine used. Don't blame Facebook for this failure - this one lies at Apple's door.

Other HTML5 apps don't have these issues, just because you give a tool to someone doesn't mean they know how to use it.

atrevers · Jun 27, 2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spazzcat

Other HTML5 apps don't have these issues, just because you give a tool to someone doesn't mean they know how to use it.

I'd be surprised if Facebook's HTML5 devs aren't amongst the best in the industry. Could equally be that they're pushing the abilities of the rendering engine further than other apps. If, for example, the way that the rendering engine handles memory allocation and resource releasing isn't up to scratch, then there isn't much the devs can do about it.

mabaker · Jun 27, 2012, 03:09 PM

So essentially they will be going back to the Facebook 3.0 engine which still rocks on iOS 5.

fel10 · Jun 27, 2012, 03:12 PM

About time. That app is extremely clunky and leggy. Hope they make some nice improvements.

DakotaGuy · Jun 27, 2012, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adildacoolset

Woopsie daisy. I wasn't aware as I'm not a Facebook/twitter user and I don't even use iOS 5.

Then why did you post how bad the app was and how happy you are (even though your assumption was wrong) that the app won't be needed in iOS6? I mean if you use it and hate it fine, but how can you hate an app that you don't even use?

Rodimus Prime · Jun 27, 2012, 03:27 PM

Does this mean Apples way of handling HTML5 has problems?

AustinIllini · Jun 27, 2012, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

Does this mean Apples way of handling HTML5 has problems?

I'm pretty sure it's Facebook's handling of HTML5 that's the problem.

liam5150 · Jun 27, 2012, 04:09 PM

I hope they fix the growing size issue. I have to periodically delete the app (typically at a final size of 100-150 Mb) and re-install it to get it semi-fast again.

Malcolm W · Jun 27, 2012, 04:10 PM

These guys even made a video about it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRH4QT81V6Y

Jun 27, 2012, 02:05 PM	#27
robjulo macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2010	But, but, but, Steve Jobs said HTML 5 was the panacea, this story can't be true.
	-3

Jun 27, 2012, 02:06 PM	#29
utahman130 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: SLC, UT	On another note, why hasn't Facebook updated the iPad app to support Timeline yet? It's been about 6 months now! __________________ 20" PowerPC iMac G5 (OS X 10.5.8) ; 2nd gen iPod Nano (4 GB, [PRODUCT] RED) ; 1st gen WiFi iPad (64 GB, iOS 5.1.1 Jailbroken) ; iPhone 5 (16 GB, Black, AT&T, iOS 7 Beta 1)
	7

Jun 27, 2012, 02:07 PM	#30
bushido macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Germany, Europe	bring the timeline to the ipad already, cant be that hard __________________ '13 MacBook Pro Retina 2.5 GHz '13 MacBook Pro 2.54 GHz, C2D, 128GB SSD iPhone 5 (white & silver), 16GB iPad 3 white, 32 GB, Wifi+Cellular Apple TV 3
	4

Jun 27, 2012, 02:30 PM	#36
Rocketman macrumors 601 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Claremont, CA	I think the main advantage to a HTML5 app may be the ability to bypass the curated app system and run in a browser or other means? __________________ Think Different-ly! The Pres. always campaigns against Cong. The D Sen is led by D Sen ML Reid and D VP and Sen Pres Biden, under orders of D Pres Obama. House bills die in the Senate.
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 02:31 PM	#37
iwan073 macrumors regular Join Date: May 2011 Location: Holland	Finally! Damn I hate the current app __________________  21.5" iMac Intel Core i5 @ 2.5GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD  iPhone 4S 16GB  iPad 4 WiFi 16GB
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 02:03 PM	#26
mrtune macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2007	I'll believe it when I see it.
	-1

Jun 27, 2012, 02:14 PM	#32
d3bruts1d macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TN	This is great news and something that has been log overdue. I'm not really sure why Apple even allowed it in since it didn't offer much more functionality over the mobile website to begin with... and what functionality it did have was buggy and broken a majority of the time.
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 02:38 PM	#38
tirerim macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2006	Great, now I can figure out how the app is useless much faster. Seriously, the number of missing features even compared to the mobile Facebook website is ridiculous. Making it faster isn't going to help if I still can't do anything with it. __________________ 27" iMac; 11" MacBook Air; Power Mac G5; 12" PowerBook G4; Lime iMac; PowerBook 3400c; Power Mac 7200; ][e
	1

Jun 27, 2012, 03:09 PM	#44
mabaker macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2008	So essentially they will be going back to the Facebook 3.0 engine which still rocks on iOS 5. __________________ „Integrated Intel graphics chip steals power from the CPU and siphons off memory from system-level RAM. You'd have to buy an extra card to get the graphics performance of Mac Mini [..]” - Apple.com
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 03:12 PM	#45
fel10 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Woodstock, GA USA	About time. That app is extremely clunky and leggy. Hope they make some nice improvements.
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 03:27 PM	#47
Rodimus Prime Banned Join Date: Oct 2006	Does this mean Apples way of handling HTML5 has problems?
	-1

Jun 27, 2012, 04:09 PM	#49
liam5150 macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Mexico	cache management 101 I hope they fix the growing size issue. I have to periodically delete the app (typically at a final size of 100-150 Mb) and re-install it to get it semi-fast again.
	0

Jun 27, 2012, 04:10 PM	#50
Malcolm W macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2012	These guys even made a video about it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRH4QT81V6Y
	0

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