The Facebook app for iPad was released today after much delay, though its launch was surprisingly without much fanfare. About two weeks ago it was reported that Facebook would share the stage with Apple during their product event on October 4th, but this didn’t happen. Instead, Facebook chose to launch their app for iPad today pretty much under the radar.
In any event, the iPad app is well designed and definitely is optimized for tablet usage compared to the several smartphone apps already available. The Facebook iPad app takes up the entire screen and utilizes Apple’s iOS user experience features well. For example, to toggle through photos in an uploaded album, just swipe left and right. Taking advantage of the full screen, the app includes a navigation bar on the left side, so users can browse profiles while also having access to their traditional account settings.
Additionally, the Facebook iPad app will be a boon to the Facebook games marketplace, as multiple games can be played at full screen. The app will also be compatible with Facebook Credits, a key revenue generator for the company.
The Facebook app for the iPhone and Android phones has been around for several years, so the delay for the iPad app has been noticeable. Thankfully, users will finally be able to use a more complete Facebook app on-the-go with the release of the iPad app.
