I have a few simple wishes for Facebook’s mobile offerings. I access Facebook on-the-go using my iPhone – though I believe that these wishes will help more than just iPhone users.
iphone.facebook.com
One of the very first web apps for the iPhone and one that Apple has promoted during it’s Keynote addresses – Facebook had a good start in providing a great experience for iPhone users. The only problem is that they haven’t updated it in forever. This interface is lacking so much I’ll simply have one wish. Update it please!
The Facebook iPhone application
Without a doubt the Facebook iPhone application is one of the best designed iPhone applications available. It was also one of the first. Overall it is a fantastic way to access Facebook on the iPhone. However, here are my suggested additions:
- Likes and comment notifications should link to the appropriate item. As it stands the app let’s you know that someone commented or liked something you’ve shared – but it doesn’t tell you which thing they like or commented on. Annoying.
- Facebook’s "like" feature needs to be accessible from the app.
- Support for Pages, Groups, and Events would be nice.
Facebook proper
While I’m jotting down my demands, I might as well put these few things in:
- Referencing people on Facebook is simply not possible. I suggest that Facebook add the ability to add your Twitter username to your preferences. That way @cdevroe would actually be linked to my Facebook profile on Facebook and my Twitter profile on Twitter.
- An obvious future feature is search. Not just people, event, group, and app search (that is already there), but searching through public status updates, wall posts, links, etc.
You have to wonder if Facebook was a more open platform, like Twitter is, from the beginning would some of this work have been done for them?
(Yes I typed this entire post on my iPhone.)