Facebook for iOS updated, actually fast.

[shockz]

Facebook 5.0 for iOS

Today we announced an update to Facebook for iPhone and iPad that makes keeping up with friends faster and easier. Facebook for iOS 5.0 is twice as fast as the previous version when launching the app, scrolling through news feed, and opening photos.

In addition to rebuilding the app for speed, we also improved the photo viewer and made it easy to close a photo: just pull down on a photo to close it. And we've added more ways to message, letting you send photos in messages and say where you are, add people to ongoing group conversations, and see the people you message most.

Get a link to the app texted to your phone today: http://bit.ly/FB4iOS

http://www.facebook....32874008&type=1

Looks like its been rewrote with the native iOS language, as opposed to using the extremely slow HTML5 stuff. Updated on my iPhone 4, took a bit to load the first time around, after that though it's pretty speedy.

[DomZ]

Yeh it's finally using native controls for the newsfeed, rather than just chucking a webkit control in there and loading it all via a webpage. MUCH better. Just suprised it took so long. Hopefully now we will also have no weird bugs forcing me to restart the app

[Roger H. Veteran]

The android version got updated yesterday (or was it today) too. I don't use FB no more per say so I don't have the app but my GF says it's nicer now on her phone.

[Rudy]

It's about time.... HTML5 is great and all but it's still too slow on mobile phones

[.Neo]

Lots of big updates today! OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.1, VMware Fusion 5, Facebook 5. :)

[nominak]

Sweet jesus yes... God that POS was so slow before...

[.Neo]

They finally added Timeline to the iPad app, that took 'em long enough!

[SMELTN]

Lots of big updates today! OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.1, VMware Fusion 5, Facebook 5. :)

wait what? 10.8.1 come out today?!!!

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

wait what? 10.8.1 come out today?!!!

Yes: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1571

[SMELTN]

The android version got updated yesterday (or was it today) too. I don't use FB no more per say so I don't have the app but my GF says it's nicer now on her phone.

That was just coincedence. The Android version is not the speed upgrade. They said that they had no release date on the Android update yet.

[Denis W. Veteran]

News of the summer. :D

No seriously, it's about time they got rid of that horrible 4.x app. This is much much better. (Y) Also nice to see they finally brought Timeline to the iPad.

[Royalty]

Wow what a coincidence! I flipped my iPad 2 around just last night trying to find the Facebook Chat on the right of the screen and boom, it's here after I updated it right now.

[Denis W. Veteran]

I also like how the picture viewing code and the Messages code are copied over from the respective Messages and Camera applications.

In other words, you can probably safely ditch those apps unless you have a need for separated applications.

[SuperKid]

Yay, Facebook finally a native iOS app. So much smoother now scrolling through the news feed and loading the menu on the left. great work!

[threetonesun]

I also like how the picture viewing code and the Messages code are copied over from the respective Messages and Camera applications.

In other words, you can probably safely ditch those apps unless you have a need for separated applications.

Yeah, they're all in the same codebase now, so you only need the main Facebook app.

[Calum Veteran]

I also like how the picture viewing code and the Messages code are copied over from the respective Messages and Camera applications.

In other words, you can probably safely ditch those apps unless you have a need for separated applications.

Some features from Camera? are still missing from the new iOS Facebook app (e.g. filters). But I agree that it's great how they've included all of the code from Messenger and some of the Camera? stuff.

[BoDEAN]

Could be faster........

[.Neo]

Could be faster........

Loading of my Timeline definitely takes a while on my new iPad. Indeed much slower than Safari on my iMac.