Facebook Abandoning HTML5 to Speed Up iOS App

[Ballis]

About time. Current version sucks ass.

[KnightWRX]

Originally Posted by AustinIllini

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

What about Apple and Nitro only being available in mobile Safari ? Seems even with iOS 5.1.1, UIWebViews still use the old Javascript engine :

http://blog.mobtest.com/2012/05/here...-and-no-nitro/

Nitro, introduced in iOS 4.3, really boosted Javascript performance (which is crucial to most HTML5 applications) while running under Mobile Safari. iOS 5 was supposed to bring it to UIWebViews and home screen applications. What happened to that ?

Maybe the problem isn't entirely with Facebook's handling of HTML5 ?

[tann]

Hope this means the iPad one will be just as slick. Tired of it taking yonks to load anything!

[PurrBall]

Hopefully it's not like the new Facebook Pages Manager app, which is even worse than the current Facebook app.

[TonyC28]

Originally Posted by Northgrove

Awesome. Too bad they aren't using this opportunity for a slick redesign.

Actually at this point I am thrilled that they are just fixing what's broke instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

[cypherpunks01]

You know guys, the thing is — HTML5 apps can be very fast. I'm making ones actually. They're no way compared to current facebook and twitter "slow as a dog" stuff.

So, Facebook just doesn't have developers that are able to optimize or rewrite it in a fast way. That's pretty sad news because many people think HTML5 apps are bullcrap because of big companies.

[bozz2006]

Don't worry about making look different. Just make it fast. Compared to the rest of the stuff i do on my phone, the facebook app just craaaaaaaawls.

[d00d]

We're calling markup languages programming languages now?

[peb123]

Originally Posted by d00d

We're calling markup languages programming languages now?

The HTML5 standard includes javascript, so yes it is a programming language.

[RoboCop001]

Originally Posted by flash84x

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.

Yeah I suppose there's that. I hate when that happens too. I guess you can't always convince the execs, even if the cons outweigh the pros in the end. The biggest con, of course, being having to rewrite the app at some point anyway.

But we all know execs don't always learn no matter what happens

[msimpson]

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.

I do not have the Twitter app installed under iOS5, and everything I can find under Settings for Twitter is Off, yet when I want to send a photo to someone I get a Tweet button as an option. How I can I get rid of that?

I expect the same mess with Facebook in iOS6.

[Smith288]

When will netflix rewrite theirs? It's a giant steaming unresponsive turd.

[Blakjack]

If facebook truly fixes there app, peoples addiction for the social network will triple. That's how bad the app is.

[rorschach]

Originally Posted by Northgrove

Awesome. Too bad they aren't using this opportunity for a slick redesign.

Agreed.

I actually liked the previous design with the "home screen" of icons that you could rearrange, rather than the cramped sidebar it has now (although it's not horrible).

[rocknblogger]

Originally Posted by msimpson

I do not have the Twitter app installed under iOS5, and everything I can find under Settings for Twitter is Off, yet when I want to send a photo to someone I get a Tweet button as an option. How I can I get rid of that?

I expect the same mess with Facebook in iOS6.

Sorry but a single menu option is not a "mess". Just ignore it if you don't use it. I'm sure you don't use every single option in every app you have so I have to assume you just ignore them, right?

[Amazing Iceman]

1) Let HTML do what it does best: Be a markup language for web development, not for application development.
Keep everything in its right place, and things will go fast and everybody will be happy.

2) If a web developer wants to write iOS (or any other OS) Apps, learn the right language, don't go the easy route, that is, is you want to do things right.

[jmull]

I'm plugged in and turned on and I need my stuff right now!! Next month is a lifetime on the internets.

[celui]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

Does this mean Apples way of handling HTML5 has problems?

iOS has two javascript engines, one blazing fast – in Safari – one much, much, much slower for embedded webpages (like it is the case for the Facebook app)

To achieve this kind of speed, Apple does black magic on the memory management. A bug on the app and all the security of the OS could be compromised. This is why the modern javascript engine is not available to Facebook.

This is an Apple problem! They promise the best HTML5 experience on iOS, they simply cannot deliver. As a consequence, webapps on iOS are clumsy.

[Chase R]

ZOMG finally... The Facebook app is literally the slowest app on my phone. It makes me feel like I'm using an OG iPhone.

[rumplestiltskin]

...that anyone even uses Facebook.

When it comes to the Internet, if it's free then you are the product.

[Horselover Fat]

I just wish developers of DAWs and games would optimise their code for OS X.

[Compile 'em all]

Originally Posted by Howardchief

I will never understand how Facebook takes so long to do a bad job only to take even longer to fix programming issues. Good grief.

While I agree with everyone that their app is utter garbage, rewriting an app that is used by millions and millions isn't fixing a programming "issue". It is changing how the app fundamentally works (from web-based to native).

Anyway, adding my vote the pool. I believe it when I see it.

[Rumple]

Originally Posted by Smith288

When will netflix rewrite theirs? It's a giant steaming unresponsive turd.

Yeah that and the youtube app on the piece of crap apple tv. I never use the thing because the quality is so bad to watch anything, and slow as a turtle to load any vids of off youtube. Sure a pretty user face which is worthless once you get to the content.

[The Phazer]

Originally Posted by Kaibelf

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

Except when it's not.

Which is in virtually every context, as it's limited, cross platform compatibility doesn't work and performance sucks on virtually every platform.

[jamesrt2004]

good! it's horrible atm!

I think it is slightly restricted usability wise with the iphone screen (much nicer on ipad) but it is super slow!