Today, Facebook took a ballsy step toward owning more of your life. The newest update for the Facebook Android app has been released and it contains two extra apps: Messenger and Camera. Like the 1990s WB series Sister, Sister, your phone will soon have two nearly identical Camera apps and two messaging apps.
Camera and Camera: Facebook has now placed a Facebook Camera app right next to your default Android camera app. So you now have “Camera” and “Camera.” The icon only has a tiny blue ‘F’ in the corner, so it mostly looks like a generic camera app too. Even after you enter it, you may not realize you’re in a Facebook app. Until, that is, it takes a really slow and crappy picture. My Galaxy Nexus has one of the fastest shutter speeds around, but the generic Facebook Camera app doesn’t seem to realize that. Its auto focus and picture taking are much slower than the default app. Unlike an app like Instagram, the only value add here is that you can tag people quicker.
Facebook's new Camera app. Would you know this was a Facebook app if I didn't tell you? (Please forgive the boring shot of my wall.)
Messaging and Messenger: The new update also installs a new copy of Facebook’s Messenger app, which now has an icon that’s even closer to looking like the default Messaging app. Worse, if you had already installed the Facebook Messenger app separately (previously, Facebook didn’t shove it down your throat), you will now have two Messenger apps.
By the way: If you want to remove the Camera or Messenger apps, you’ll have to uninstall the entire Facebook app. Yep. You’re stuck with all three.
Some have argued that Facebook’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram (another camera app) was meant to buy the love of users. People love Instagram, but almost nobody loves Facebook. We all use it because we must (everyone is on it), but gutsy moves like these are why it lacks love. If someone wants to install a Facebook camera app, they can, but forcing three apps on users who only signed up to install one is not cool. Trying to trick them into using the Facebook Messaging and Camera alternatives through deceptive icon designs and names is just sad. Well, sad and a bit savvy. Facebook may not be very lovable, but it does know how to insert itself deeper into your life.
Another Facebook Phone: If you wanted one more indication of where Facebook is headed, DigiTimes has posted another rumor that HTC and Facebook are working together on another Facebook phone: a device that will integrate the social network much deeper into an Android phone, or possibly multiple HTC devices. Hopefully, this new phone will perform better than the Salsa and ChaCha.
(Thanks to Droid-Life for noticing the update.)
UGH!!!
+1 (I’m also on Galaxy Nexus)
another reason to jailbreak or root your device, they have a tweak that allows you to delete apps that can’t be otherwise.
So dumb and unorganized
Yeah, very annoying that they included those two additional apps, that can’t be deleted. But in general the update to the core app seem to be really nice, and long overdue. It’s finally starting to look semi-decent and no longer looks like it was created by a 7th grader.
I can’t complain too much about the core app update. It is now more compatible and consistent with Android 4.0 apps.
Dog, is being nice to facebook.
I like the sly dog comparison !
It is deceiving, but manageable. Especially if you use a ADW or other phone manager, changing icons and such
Yeah, doesn’t really bother me
+1 (I’m also on Galaxy Nexus)
It tells you up front after you update/install facebook. I have no plans to use it. The galaxy nexus’ and instagram camera app are more than sufficient. It is easily ignored by not putting it on your home screen and leaving it alone along with all the other app icons you don’t use.
I just noticed it on my EVO 4g 3d this morning. I see its for instant uploads /posts of pictures. Wasn’t that the point of buying Instagram?
Its a load of bull! Won’t let me open my chat app either! Why why why?????
UGH!!!
really its fucking annoying.
Not sure but it distinctly told me it was installing these apps to make sharing easier
Friendcaster did the same thing to me
>:3 bwahahahaha
My pull to refresh is definitely gone as well. I don’t totally mind the camera integration though. And it’s really nice to finally be able to accurately tag people on a mobile device
It would be nice to have an option whether you want to install the camera or not. Previously, Messenger was its own app.
Definitely agree there. Although I noticed in the app update it claims that these icons are just “shortcuts” to the actual messenger and camera features, not apps. Obviously that’s not true but that’s the angle they’re taking I guess
I read this and then promptly went and checked if I had theses two additional and unwanted apps, which I did. So I attempted to delete the Facebook app and it asked me if I wanted to delete the recent updates, and I clicked on yes. It apparently deleted the extra camera and messenger app while leaving the Facebook app intact. Essentially it allowed me to “downgrade” the app, although Im not sure if I can delete it all the way
What phone are you on? Some devices (HTC maybe) put Facebook on the phone as a core app. In those cases, you cannot fully delete it, only downgrade it to the original installation. It sucks. I’m sorry.
Oh ok, I’m using the HTC Rezound
I haven’t been happy with Facebook lately. I just now figured out how to turn off the stupid push notifications with Facebook. Although it looks like you can go into your iPhone settings, go to push notifications and turn it off from there, you can’t. It doesn’t work. You have to go into the Facebook app itself and turn it off from within that. Seems like they are breaking an Apple rule there.
On top of that, their app is painstakingly slow. You can’t simply open it up, take and post a picture. It literally takes minutes to do that.
Facebook needs to fire their mobile team IMO. :)
I don’t know if I’m the only one, but the new Facebook for Android update took away pull to refresh and everything is all wonky now. HEADS WILL ROLL FOR THIS.
Ditch the “Official” FB Android app and install “FriendCaster”. I’ve been using it for almost a year, with very few issues. It’s stable, feature-filled, unobtrusive, easily customized, and fast. Give it s shot!
The “pull to refresh” function is still there.
Maybe it depends on phone? I am using the Galaxy S II Skyrocket.