Your calls have been answered, well sorta. Microsoft today announced that a new, recently redesigned Facebook app (beta) for Windows Phone 8 is now available for you to try out and provide feedback. Yes, you can go and download it right now.
The app features “…new support for high-res photos, post sharing, and Facebook Timeline”, which should go a long way in making users happy--though being beta means it won’t be 100% stable, solid nor feature complete, so take it with caution.
But hey, Microsoft has finally redesigned the official Facebook app (or at least started to), answering many of your calls to overhaul the app for the popular social network. While the current version of Facebook for Windows Phone will continue to remain on the Store, it has garnered many complaints from users even despite the numerous updates it has received over the last few months.
The question for you, die-hard Facebook users, is this redesign and new feature set to your liking or not? Sound off in comments.
Grab the official Facebook Beta version 5.0.1.0 right here in the Store.
Source: Windows Phone Blog
Reader comments
Microsoft announces new Facebook beta for Windows Phone 8, revamped and more features
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Not sure if this was mentioned but I am unable to share photos. I get a message stating "can't share most likely due to the privacy settings of the photo" however when I go to the browser I can share the photo
Anyone having problems starting today? The app crashes on load. Was working perfectly before? So confused...
It stopped working for me.nreinstalled and everything. Keeps crashing on startup
What about 7.8 for Facebook beta
Seems this app is no longer on the app store. I had it downloaded before it was taken off, but when opening it, I just get an error now.
I won't... hell I CAN'T bother reading all the comments here about the app being too similar to the ios and android versions. And I agree 100%! The other app LOOKED fine, but didn't work as well as this version does.
But the real issue is that so many of you have no only cried, bitched anod moaned about the FB app, but a lot of you have compared tghe WP version to the version on other OS's and said theirs were "better". There's good and bad with thaty.
Good: At least you know MS is listening to you.
Bad: Now that you got what you want you will undoubtedly bitch that it no longer has it's own WP identity.
I know you can't please everyone, but the WP "community" is a trip.
Seems to have a battery related bug. 50% battery drop in 2 hours from full charge and that too when it was in standby (no active usage at all). Battery behaivior back to normal after uninstalling app.
Anyone else facing the same issue.
push notifications (still) don't work! incredible.
does microsoft know or even care?
Stopped workin for me
It is a VERY significant improvement from the original, and it is nice to look at, but I still prefer the integrated social features. Looking forward to Skype true integration.
Oh man, this is looooooooooooooooong overdue! Previous app was an embarrassing joke. This one is way better, and much more complete. Very good. Still slow in some parts, but yeah, i'm sure they'll work on it. Just fingers crossed that the live tile notifications are improved.
Ya but when will it be released for Win8? Along with any other major app? My RT is starving.
This is going backwards! Where are all the gorgeous metro elements?!
When I go to a "Like" page on Facebook beta and click on a photo album.. it opens up my own photo album.. Just fyi :)
unable to type in chinese... :(
Know it's beta,but kills the battery and over heats the phone.
Would be nice if the FB design is similar to the WPCentral app actually. The main page would be your news feed, slide right for apps (akin to the left drawer) and slide again for chat. Then you can pin whatever app you want to the start screen. The notifications/messaging bar is good already though. Also, maybe add a switch button on the button of the news feed so you can switch between types of news feed, reduced action by one step.
I have to say I'm not too please with the change. They're going against their own design principles. I like the ability to swipe from the left or right. The app isn't conducive to the real estate of the screen. Now; its looks small.
I have to say I'm not too please with the change. They're going against their own design principles. I like the ability to swipe from the left or right. The app isn't conducive to the real estate of the screen. Now; its looks small.
So I commented previously that actually liked the picture banner in old FB app. I have to say tho that the new app is FAST.
Will this be coming to 7.x devices I have an omnia m with 7.8 ?
Finally, an app that only shows the stuff I want and not all the game rubbish or stuff from people I don't contact much, just like how I've set it on the website! A bit slower than the non-beta but I'm sure that will improve, a definite improvement overall, just a shame its not as windows phone-y.
.
Simply awesome but few things lacking like attaching files, not showing"seen" option, no edit option for comments. Also if anyone knows how to turn on/off chat??
Support for 7.8 please... My lumia 900 should not be a legacy device already :(
Great as a beta, but it is really a pity that no Chinese input is available...Working harder, Microsoft!
There we go. MS is not sleeping, and this is the result of FB getting to be the app platform WP.
Awsome job MS!
Will it be available for windows phone 7.8 users?
I can't find the app anywhere! Did they pull it from store already?
It's not searchable in the store, but the link to the beta is in the article http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=93da5d29-daf0-4783-9ed5-a87b33247ec6
i like the new Facebook app, more functionality, but i feel like i am using WebOS, not windows phone anymore, it is similar to gmail on iOS too.
It still works and looks better than m.facebook.com.
Prefer the original.
Does anyone else have a problem with it displaying the News Feed? On startup mine is just a completely blank page (with the blue notifications bar at the top and status bar at the bottom.
If I refresh nothing changes.
However if I swipe left and cick on the News Feed settings I can change it from Most Recent to Top Stories and back again and all of a sudden the feed is visible. Exit the app and reload again and nothing.
I've tried logging out and in again, restarting the phone and un/reinstalling the app again and nothing changes.
Pretty annoying, as what I see of it I like.
I have the same thing on my 8x
Mine's on a 920. Great to hear that I'm not alone, but it seems we are definitely in a significant minority.
The problem looks solved on my phone, I did a reconnect with FB while using Wifi and now it looks fine.
only very bad battery consumption
Go to Settings > About and send them your feedback.
Already done ofcourse ;)
Facebook is a key application for Windows Phone.
All users, who have trusted and now have smartphones equipped with Windows Phone 7.8, deserve full support from Microsoft.
You can sign my petition, guys ;)
www.change.org/.../windows-phone-program-management-microsoft-upgrade-facebook-app-for-windows-phone-7-8
Facebook is a key application for Windows Phone.
All users, who have trusted and now have smartphones equipped with Windows Phone 7.8, deserve full support from Microsoft.
You can sign my petition, guys ;)
www.change.org/.../windows-phone-program-management-microsoft-upgrade-facebook-app-for-windows-phone-7-8
I don't understand you people. This is a BETA not a final app. Gosh! That is why MS has said you use it at your own risk of losing the features you may have come to love. That is why theres a feedback option. That is why it's a BETA so we can TEST it and TELL microsoft what's not working, what needs to be improved, what part of the app is crashing, etc etc etc. So instead of whining about missing this and freezing that, GO AND LET YOURSELF BE HEARD AND TYPE AWAY IN THE FEEDBACK OPTION. Or better yet, DON'T INSTALL THE BETA. It causes anxiety, sleepless night, wounded feelings, nausea vomiting and extreme case of delusion and depression.
+1
The new program is very slow.. and does not support arabik letters.
I think it still needs a lot of work.
The wall is similar to the android client which sucks....
I agree
I liked it (interface) a lot but it's a little slow and makes the phone get hot.
Running amazin fast on L720 and i like its UI.
Hmm, loads fast and is really smooth on my L920. Much faster than the old one. Just hope Notifications is better in this app. Also, It seems that the new app dont allow "Æ Ø Å " from the norwegian alphabet .
Better than the old one
7.8 :(
Finally... I like! :)
Ooooh when I read my fb notifications on the phone (built in) it cleared it from the Facebook live tile. Im sure it didn't do that before and the notifications just built up.
Doesn't install in 7.8Os HTC HD7 :-/ Anyway the have to launch a revamped Peoples Hub!
My two cents:
I liked the design of the old app and am sad to see it go, so much so I think I'm going back to it. This app doesn't support displaying your status on your lock screen and the large live tile doesn't flip to reveal your status. They are steps backward, yes I know it's Beta but they were cool features why lose them? I also agree that making this look like IOS or Android seems pretty counter intuitive to me. If I wanted a shitty Android or IOS experience I’d have bought one.
Notifications seem to be unreliable, even more so than the old app, so my experience was never that bad with the old one (apart from the occasional flood of three day old notifications) and that's why I'm going back to it.
Does not work on 7.8Os HTC HD7 :-/ Anyway they need to launch a revamped People's Hub!
I got a bug that I can't type the word in Thai. It said I try to type the emoticon in this app. OK, I sent this report to Microsoft already.
But totally is cool!
toast notification not working
I still have my lumia 900 and I use fb mobile site cuz the app still sucks...
Simply awesome !!! But I dint find option to attach file, edit the comments, "seen" option. Further if anyone knows how to make yourself online and offline from this Facebook app??
Loaded the new app to my Lumia 920...and within a few hours, the phone bricked. I don't want to blame the app...but my phone was working like a champ before I loaded the BETA. Now my phone is worthless. Headed to AT&T tomorrow for a replacement. Maybe it's the unique combination of apps I had loaded on my phone, but it's bricked. Just thought I'd share.
I was mostly just using the People hub and mobile Facebook site in WP7.8, and I don't see any reason to change now I have a WP8 handset - especially since the touch-centric FB mobile site actually works properly on WP8's browser! The FB app for WP has always been pretty terrible and feature-poor compared to the actual site accessible through the browser. Personally I'd MUCH rather FB work with MS to integrate FB Chat better with the Messaging app.
I cant find it in the store, still shows the old version. I'm in the uk.
It's not published in the store; you got to download it with the direct link.
Go here: http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=93da5d29-daf0-4783-9ed5-a87b33247ec6
Anyone notice that the new Facebook beta gobbles up a huge amount of battery? My phone heats up when I use it
Yes, that happened to me too. My Lumia 920 got very hot after only about 5 or so minutes of use, and the battery drained quite a bit. I tried it a few times, and had the same issue each time. Sent feedback to MS through the app, then uninstalled it. I like the new app, but I prefer to wait until they work out the bugs and it comes out of Beta.
On iPhone 3gs this app is already version 6, but it works like a neverending beta testing. 99% crash and slow as hell! Reading comments on slowdowns and battery drains makes me think Zukerberg should stop making apps. Or to confirm, that his facebook is appincopatible.
It has some bugs but once its not beta it will be awesome.. Hopefully we'll be able to see the status were commenting on..
Guy, you must understand that the whole Metro concept is flatness and simplicity. The Twitter app is exactly that.
Can anyone find a list of FB pages they've liked?? I see them in my news feed but if I swipe left there's no Pages link and if you go to Friends you only see you're friends, not pages.
UDPATE: Found it! Swipe left and click on your name. Then scroll the about/friends/photos/likes menu and hit Likes. I think that's a bit hidden an can maybe go elseswhere.
No more error messages opening group chats! I just hope notifications for messages start working and I'll be set. Love it.
I really like the fb app that we have due to the reason its different. The new beta looks like the android and iPhone app
It IS beta software.
Maybe MS are trying to get the functionality working properly. Hopefully, once the kinks are ironed out, they will redesign it with the Modern UI feel.
Let's hope so....
Here are my thoughts.
Oh I don't like this app at all. I don't feel like I am using a native windows phone application. I feel like I am using an iOS port.
Everything is window phone 8. What a out wp7/7.8?
Anyone notice the "favorites" section in the chat. I haven't a clue on how to add or remove people. Would anyone like to enlighten me?
Anyone notice the "favorites" section in the chat? I can't seem to figure how to add or remove people from it.
How do you get rid of the notifications?.. I swipe to the right ,I swipe to the left .. Still shows up ...any suggestions??
Hope we can finally send images and videos trough it on final version
No 7.8.. Microsoft fails once more..
I really like it so far, but only just installed it so don't know how well notifications work yet
One thing I'd like to get working is being able to change the privacy of a post. The icon is there, but it doesn't seem clickable. Sometimes if someone puts up something on my wall I don't want everyone to see I don't want to have to wait until I get home to be able to hide it.
I've been using the touch site because the old app kept having connection issues and would always tell me there was an error and everything failed but would sometimes go through.
Anyway this beta is already far more stable. Just waiting to see how notifications are.
I mean, if this new Facebook is only for WP8 and WP7 remains on v2, then WP7 will quickly devalue into crapness quickly
I love the APP because it's so responsive and the new features are extremely welcomed. However the only thing that bothers me about this APP is that it doesn't follow the traditional wp UI... Why?
Does this mean that developers are able to customize their own APPS as they see fit?
Miss the picture banner..but I don't feel it's slow on my L920. Notifications so far are pretty good. Much improved as to hit or miss in the past.
Its better than the older version, but with no lanscape mode, I won't be using it. Its only a Beta version, so perhaps that will be there on the full release.
The new Facebook might have lost the bar but it doesn't seemed to have gained any new screen real estate . I prefer the look of the old Facebook app. This new one looks like a cheap mobile site rip off
I am by no means a heavy Facebook user, but I downloaded the beta and I gotta say, this thing is miles ahead of the regular app. Great work, MS. Ps I love that they got rid of the banner image and keep the status bar at the top. More apps need that.
Its official, WP7 has truly been left behind. Support for the latest features possible for the largest network is critical
This new design is leagues ahead of the old one - I can't be the only one tired of seeing that same metro style app layout. Having exactly the same layout for all apps is not the way forward, because it just makes them all look cheap. The new fb design looks gorgeous while maintaining the flat design principles that microsoft are loving these days, and man it's sooo smooth to use, much better than on ios and android
I just want the people hub to support Facebook groups. Then I wouldn't even need a separate app... :(
Windows phone 7.8?
How to go offline in chatting without signing out ?
How about WP 7.x
Like the new look. Banner gone and that's a great improvement.
Can't use Swedish letters å, ä or ö, probably because of the beta status.
On the minus side I'm still missing ability to download pictures.
Otherwise I think this is the Facebook-app I've been waiting for! Great work, Microsoft!
I like it! Its a lot more functional, I always thought the old app was a bit of a bodge job... Always felt like a guy in his attic wrote it!
And now that you have a wrapper for touch.facebook.com you don't think so? I think that way more brain went into the now old FB app of Microsoft.
I really like the new app.. I still need to see how the notifications are on this one. I hated the notifications on the facebook app. But this looks much cleaner/smoother and best of all is I can pin the groups to my start screen so I can keep a tab of the individual group activity right from the start screen..
This is whats going to make people switch. Its the familiarity with the other OS's.
Tisk, so Microsoft is making ports now. :-/
About time. I've be using FB mobile site since the beginning of my WP experience. I was thinking about waiting for the final version to download the app, but I'm gonna give it a try and maybe help with feedback for further improvements.
Having an issue where the notification count of 22 is stuck. Anybody else having an issue with notifications?
Finally!! This is Awesome...I hated that banner!
Live tile stops working after you upload a photo Lumia 920. I uninstalled the app then reinstalled it uploaded a picture and like clock work live tile stopped working smh at mwp
This app is so much better than the last mess, bugs and all. I dont care if its not "metro"- its functional and intuitive. Only thing missing (for me) is the ability to save pictures.
I think its faster on my 920, also miles better with alot more usability. About time i say!!!
I have been using Facebook JDP, it looks just like this except your theme color also changes inside the app. Pretty sweet!
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/facebook-%E1%B4%B6%E1%B4%B0%E1%B4%AE/068ede9a-5648-40fa-8e28-044d047e8571
I like it
Know what? Screw the WP OS/UI, I think its about time they adopted the android OS....
EPIC update
I like the new app who evers saying its slow shh yer moosh takes 1-2 seconds max to load even as a beta im liking it so far XD!
This app is the bomb, and it blows Facebook mobile site out of the water. The other Facebook app (Microsoft) is getting deleted right now, as I never hardly used it anyway.
Furthermore, the large text is keeping true to the Metro design language.
I likey! So far the app is smooth and asthetically pleasing. The transition time is sometimes a little delayed but I would assume that is something that will be addressed.
I can't unfriend people help please how can I unfriend someone that's the only reason I didn't use the old Microsoft Facebook
Stop adding people you don't want on your page lol
its a major improvement but notifications are still dont work!
I'm excited to have better status updates and an attempt at an update to the app. This is far better than the current app though some features from the old wouldn't be so bad on the new. Like the layout. I'm not a fan of chat being built in since its in messenger and can scroll to different locations. Now have to chose it from a menu
Anyone else notice that the app is a real battery drainer? I have been using it for about half a day now and I am normally at approximately 50% battery level on my Samsung ATIV S around 430pm EST and I am already down to 29%.
Thoughts?
UPDATE: I disabled the feature that updates your phones background by accessing your Facebook photos and the battery drain has stopped.
How do u disable that? Plz
Just go to the app "settings" and set "lock screen" off.
Nice update. You can click on links, timeline, share posts, pin friends or pages to start menu is a few I already found new.
I liked the old UI but like the additional features and more real estate (no more banner) make this one better in my opinion.
Just swype to the left or right to get your your favorites or chat just like the full web version.
Munch better and fast than the current Facebook app. I have L920. I noticed that it drains battery quickly and the phone gets hot. Can't save pictures to phone. Other than that it works great!
Downloaded the app and i'v been using it for some time now, its WAY bettert than the old facebook app from microsoft, and the best facebook app i'v ever used on WP8.
Yet it still in bata so we can do so much more. but i really miss the METRO UI wich makes a WP a WP .. but this one is so much more functional and quick to load and the swipe feature makes it so much easy and fun. but i still got the same problem with the notifications ( They are late ).
1. i'd love to have the option to save images to my library.
2. notifications should work better than it does now.
3. im having some lag/ unresponsevness to tuch when i try to check notifications or messeges in the top of the app.
but in overal ... its a step on the right way.
PS: i do <3 LOVE the Flat icon of the new facebook, looks great on my home screen now.
Can't download on my lumia 810 error code 805a0195.
Try to install it via windowsphone.com.
Try to install it via windowsphone.com.
Try to install it via windowsphone . com.
Seems like a step back..almost looks more like a mobile site as oppose to a wp8 designed app.
Why even make an app if Facebook is integrated into the Windows Phone 8 OS?
So why doesn't Facebook make its own app, instead of handing it to Microsoft?
Well this is much better than the original.
1. The original has no news feed option for top news
2. The banner in the original sucks. Takes too much space
Would anyone possibly be considering purchasing a locked Nokia Lumia 810? I spent $450 and I'll sell for $380-$400 if so, comment and I'll give you my email and from there we can text. :)
Is anyone's batter runnign down at an alarming rate since this was installed?
The app is great now
Seems like an iOS version, how could Microsoft design like this.
This looks great. A big improvement over the prior version. It is similar to the version on my iphone, but so what? The iphone's version was superior to the old WP app as is this new WP app.
Better! Although my noticications keep saying i've 10! Bit annoying bit I understand it is a beta version
The Banner height of the beta app should be still reduced.
I already like the beta, bugs and all, better than the current finished product.
Awsome :D
I definitely prefer this new beta to the old app and I've only used it for 5 minutes.
U think its great, especially with the fb in the app
I like it, kind of looks like the IOS version to me.
No livetile?
Same for me. Have been trying to see if anyone else has this problem?
805a0194 error here. Can't download on my 820 near Houston.
Is the beta one going to replace the official one?
Eventually yes, but at the moment its a separate app.
So far so good. Can't "reply" to comments, edit comments or see past edits. But its a good start. The top bar seems large for just icons, they should make it smaller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ693GbsmCs
Norwegian character support somehow got lost in this build. He he, but rest is great
Soooo it's official, 7.X users are not being supported. That's unfortunate for us Lumia 900 users.
I'm having trouble clearing my notifications. Anybody else?
Also they should implement some kind of Chat head look a like. Lol.
Seems pretty good but it also feels and looks too much like IOS and Android's. Needs more Metro! Hopefully they fix the integration with the message app
I liked the "metro" version also, but I HATED that it didnt filter the news feed items that I hid on FB, like farmville, etc etc. I also didnt like the small picture thumbnails.
So, keep metro, bigger thumbnails, and carry timeline/feed settings from FB.
I'd like to have someone from here create a mockup of an updated FB app in the metro design language as clearly, some here are bemoaning the fact that the Facebook Beta lost the metro design interface. It would me something nice if FB team and MS consider the idea of merging the design language of the m.facebook.com with the design language of Metro.
Maybe they will overhaul YouTube next :)
Or not considering there is no YouTube app for Windows Phone because Google are being asshats about making the APIs available!!!
This was a long time coming, much needed and they delivered. Only very small complaints but it is beta and honestly every feature is supported. Sharing posts, chat, timeline, etc. were all much needed. But lets all keep in mind it is in beta and Microsoft needs our constructive feedback to continue improving it.
I actually like the look of the beta, keeping the design consistant with the iOS and Android apps means that if the Windows Phone version is faster than the awful Android version people may be more likely to switch platforms.
Love it!! Works great...finally!
I want to try it out
I dislike the black bar across the top though, breaks the slick look up a bit
I think the design sucks. Big time. The problems with the original app were with the missing functions, not the design/interface.
It looks like an android port or a web app which is freaking disappointing. Big time. I use WP largely because of the UI. Everything had a consistent look and feel that I like. This goes for most of the apps as well. Then, I open up the beta and I get an android port thrown in my face. Pretty damn terrible
+1
We are losing WP style :(
I can finally share stuff again!
No accented character permitted.. Example á, é, í ... I just reported , with this bug, it's hard to use it in Spain ..
I miss the picture collage at the top...
Seems pretty nice to me. I rather like the direction myself.
Love the new Facebook application the resuming black screen is so windows 7.5 though what gives, beta
I'm using it on a Lumia 920 and while it could be faster it's not that bad. I like that the layout is now similar to the mobile site and other platforms (makes for better use of space), and we FINALLY can share posts. Good one!
I'm glad to see there are more people embracing the new beta design and less negativity towards it, unlike prior I would read hate comments on anyone that thought the original app was not as good.
Nice improvement! Even though this is beta, I have removed their other FB app from my 920. I can work between the people hub and this now. Keep up the good work.
New is always better...right?...I mean...um...right?...
That's what Microsoft failed to do in the new facebook app https://dev.windowsphone.com/en-us/design
You gotta practice what you preach, they say.
Love it
the metro design of the original completely set it apart from any other facebook app on any other platform which i enjoyed a lot. now it's just "a facebook app". would have been better to just improve the original!
Well I have a L900 and my co worker has a L920. This is wrapper for the touch website. Fix the older app
The original FB app looked better and fitted better with the windows phone . Now this one is just like the other one.
One thing that I like about most WP8 apps, they look and suited WP. They look intuitive to WP. But if all apps start to look like iOS and Android, what's the point of changing. WP is about being different, right?
Nope, it's not about just being different. Different is good if it improves. In the case of the old fb app, it definitely didn't improve on the other platforms' apps. Being different for the sake of being different and not for the sake of improving the experience is just being stupid.
L920: Smooth, clean, fast, filters are the same as on the desktop. Great job so far!
So much better
It is really TIME TO SWITCH. To Apple.
Why?
Let me try to explain.
My phone with 7.8 will not get this update. Apple offer support to even 3GS phohe. A 2009 phone. Before you argue to say that 3GS and Iphone 4 receive IOS 6 with some cuts, the API's is there, so even though you don't get all new stuff, devs can release apps to the 3GS, the only requirement to see is hardware, not APIs like Windows Phone.
That is sad. That even a budget phone with 2.3 android have a decent support. In other side I stuck with this laggy facebook. =/
I know that I would never exchange to android. But for IOS yes. It is smooth (not like windows), but wil get a nice support. The API's are there. I don't feel left like in MS.
Get it?
How do you know this new facebook app will not come to 7.8? Just because the bedta isn't available for it doesn't really mean anything. But who cares. Enjoy your iPhone 3gs then, I guess. Heh
Look what Michael Stroh answered me: @marcusasdrubal: Please stop spamming the blog. I've been in meetings. I don't know the answer since I'm not on the app's development team.
COULD YOU BELIEVE IN THAT?
Enjoy your iPhone then. I'm sorry to hear that your experience with WP was not perfect. Your standards might have been too high for a platform that jumped into the game a few years late. You cannot deny the growth and progress of WP since the first gen devices. A lot of us have had a less than perfect time with windows phone especially if we've been on the ship from the start. But the difference is that some of us expected glitches and missteps along the way, but we never gave in because we have a passion and vision for the platform and slowly, more people are siding with the 3rd option in smartphone technology.
I love it!! Woot
This app is so much simpler and easier to use then the old one. Thank you for creating it
Very very fast on my Lumia 620. Works very great!!!
Works great on my 8x
really fast on my l920
What about the folks on 7.8? :(
At work so no time to go into it more than just a little. First impression is it's a step in the right direction. Like it.
Now will or is this app on Windows 8??? My surface RT needs an app! :)
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