Facebook app for iPad now available, finally

By Andrew Couts October 10, 2011

facebook-ipad-app-2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

After months of speculation and delay, Facebook has finally released its official iPad app. The app is now available for download from Apple’s iTunes App Store for some users. The app should be available to all users as soon as it is fully added to Apple’s servers.

From what we can tell so far, the app looks pretty much identical to what was leaked back in July. Made for pinching, prodding and touching, Facebook for iPad is designed especially for a big screen. Photos take center stage in the iPad version of Facebook, with the ability to pinch to zoom in and out, or swipe from side to side to view albums. Another big new features is the ability to play Facebook games in full-screen mode.

Other screen-centric additions include full-high-definition video playback support, as well as AirPlay, which allows users to play Facebook videos through their other Apple devices, like Apple TV.

Facebook has also included many of the standard features users expect, including notifications, chat, search, status updates, messages, and a slew of other Facebook functionality. The newly announced features, like Timeline, are not included in the iPad app, yet.

Despite only being released today, the app has allegedly been ready for months, according to former Facebook engineer Jeff Verkoeyen, who led the development of the app. Verkoeyen said the frustration surrounding the floating release date for the app played a part in his decision to leave the company for Google.

It was rumored that Facebook would make the long-awaited iPad app announcement during Apple’s iPhone 4S event, which took place last Tuesday. The event was supposed to show that Apple and Facebook had settled their long-running disputes. Facebook did not announce the iPad app that day, obviously.

Apple-Facebook feuds aside, the app is now ready for free from iTunes. If you have an iPad, let us know what you think of the app. Was it worth the wait?

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