Improvements in the works for Windows Phone Facebook app

For all its improvements, there are several native applications for Windows Phone that are arguably more than a step or two behind other platforms. Twitter is one of those applications, and while its last major update brought several major improvements it has still reach parity with the iOS or Android applications.

Another application that feels like it is decades behind is Facebook for Windows Phone. In December, the Facebook app received a sorely needed update which addressed speed and overall performance. Unfortunately, there were no new features added to the application. However, the Facebook app for Windows Phone is not a native app, it is developed by Microsoft. The result is that development of the application misses out on some features that are taken for granted, and thus missed if a switch is made, from other platforms.

If you have had frustrations with some of the limitations of the app versus its companion applications on other platforms, you are not alone. Ammar from Maati.TV decided to send an email to Stephen Elop at Nokia. Why did he send it there instead of Microsoft directly? First, Mr. Elop is apparently known to respond to customer complaints and second, Ammar chose to leverage Mr. Elop’s relationship with Microsoft to make the case.


In his email, Ammar simply explained the shortcomings of the Facebook application for Windows Phone relative to the Windows Phone OS as well as the iOS and Android platforms. The next day, Ammar received a response, “this is definitely being worked on.” Is a reply from Stephen Elop as good as a reply from Steve Ballmer? In some ways it is better, Nokia’s big bet on Windows Phone is also Microsoft’s big bet on Windows Phone.

Part of the Facebook experience on Windows Phone is baked into Windows Phone itself, which makes it a departure and differentiator from other platforms. Despite that, there are some basic functions that are not available even with the heavy integration. For example, messaging on Facebook is built in to the messaging feature of Windows Phone, but you cannot send pictures or use group chat.

In the meantime, hopefully we will see exactly what is “being worked on” in the near future.

sources: Maati.TV via WMPoweruser and WP7 Connect