Facebook Launches App Center With Over 600 Apps

Mattygfunk1 writes "Facebook is following the leader and launching its own app store. The move is intended to encourage longer browsing sessions from users and attract attention from software developers, in addition to allowing more personalized advertising. 'Each app will generally allow the user to install it as a Facebook application. However, a "send to mobile" will also appear if the app has a mobile app from either the Apple iOS App Store or else the Google Play store. In either case, the app can be sent to a user's phone and can be installed there.' It's currently only available in the U.S., with more countries to follow in the coming weeks."

Comments

Let me be one of the firsts to say

[Anonymous Coward]

No Thanks...

Re:Let me be one of the firsts to say

[gatfirls]

You definitely aren't the first and you surely won't be the last. There always seems to be a peak in any website where the features are user driven and then the features are marketing driven. Facebook hit that point a while back and have been alienating their user base ever since.

"The White Album"

[Fishbulb]

The way things are going, buying Angry Birds on every new platform is going to be the "buy the White Album again" of the app generation.

Re:"The White Album"

[MickyTheIdiot]

Actually I think buying Dark Side of the Moon would be more appropriate.

Until CDs came along there were record plants making nothing but copies of DSotM because people bought a new copy as their old copy wore out.

Facebook Fone?

[Metabolife]

This could be the first step to fb making a smartphone for dumb people.

Re:Facebook Fone?

[swb]

This is exactly what it is for.

They are borrowing the app store model from Apple and the advertising-supported model from Google to produce low-end smart phones for the "facebook generation", probably with some kind of data plan subsidy to make them cost competitive for the lower-income types who'd own a real smartphone if the data plans weren't so expensive.

High-profile app vendors who are on iOS, Android and Windows will just add another platform to be on, giving Facebook the "10% of the apps satisfy 90% of the people" kind of popularity, which is probably adequate for the people who would consider a Facebook phone anyway.

i'm psyched!

[Anonymous Coward]

I can't wait to run applications provided by an organization whose entire purpose is to collect every possible bit of data about me and sell it to others. I'm eagerly looking forward to the experience of needing an internet connection for my computer to do things that it's always been able to do on its own before.

Even better, it's gonna be awesome that I now need Facebook's permission to run those applications, each and every time I want to.

Man! I'm psyched for this. Hope you guys are too!

so this is what is happening

[berashith]

I tried to read an article from wall street journal, and I get a damn pop-up telling me that I am able to install their facebook reader app. As I wasnt sure why I couldnt just read the article at wsj.com using my "browser app" I just closed the tab and went on with my life. I am pretty sure I didnt lose out on much. If they really want me to share with my friends, I will, as long as the article is something I feel like sharing and discussing. Just because I look at something doesnt mean that it should be publicized and tracked.

Re:so this is what is happening

[Anonymous Coward]

http://theoatmeal.com/pl/state_web_spring/yahoo

Oh good!

[DWMorse]

Because anyone that's ever used the iPhone or Android Facebook apps know that, you know, apps are just what Facebook excels at.

Call me when they can produce one of their own that isn't a steaming pile of terribad.

The anti-Java

[Anonymous Coward]

All these app systems, walled gardens, whatever. It's sort of an anti-Java philosophy: Write everywhere. Run nowhere.

There's room for one, maybe two or 3 at best. It's just like when Atari and Commodore were big home machines. Maybe you can port to two, and then you're done. The long tail of platforms isn't worth it. Welcome to no. 3 at best, FB.

Pure PR; stock is in the ICU

[optimism]

From TFA:

The service, called App Center, debuts with 600 applications, including Zynga Inc. (ZNGA)’s “Draw Something” game

Huh? How is someone going to play "Draw Something" effectively on a laptop or desktop with no touch screen? Have you ever tried to draw with a mouse or trackpad? Haha.

If you want to play on a smartphone or tablet, of course, you'd just download the native app from the app store/marketplace.

This looks like a pure PR play, one of many that will prop up the Fakebook stock until the early investors have exited to their satisfaction, and FB employees with options have been sufficiently comforted that the stock will not drop below their strike prices before the end of the year.

I love this sport. It's like watching a huge train wreck in slow motion, except that no one will be directly killed by it.

Re:Pure PR; stock is in the ICU

[InvisibleClergy]

I once had a webcomic I drew with my mouse. It was pretty bad.

And let me be one of the firsts to say

[gsslay]

Don't want.

Re:And let me be one of the firsts to say

[zlives]

that is because the only way to measure a corporations success in today's greed has no limit corporate "capitalistic" mindset

success != profit
success == growth in profit