Facebook 3.0 for iPhone pours on the features

Facebook 3.0 introduces new navigation, notifications, events, and more.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)

The third major edition of Facebook for iPhone has just crept into the iTunes App Store. It's a huge update, with numerous advanced features that make Facebook more interactive than before and which bring the app as close to the desktop experience as it's ever been.

Facebook for iPhone opens on your news feed as usual, but the upper left corner now sports a tiny grid icon that serves as the main organizing feature for this new build. Click it to see a screen equipped with a search bar on top, a notification alert area on the bottom, and a grid of nine activities you can perform in the middle. These include the news feed, your profile details, your message in-box, Facebook chat, friend requests, events, photo albums, and notes.

Those who use Facebook on the iPhone frequently will notice that quite a few of these actions are brand new, like viewing events and submitting an RSVP from your phone. You'll also be able to view friends' birthdays and upload photos to any album. Anyone sporting an iPhone 3GS gets the added bonus of uploading video.

Photos received a lot of attention in this update. You'll now be able to zoom into photos, create albums and delete them, as well as upload and delete photos and photo tags, all from the Facebook interface. In addition, you can upload a new profile picture.

Facebook has also poured energy into how it deals with friends. You're now able to call or text friends from the interface, which brings Facebook's social connectivity into the real world. You can see friends of friends and mutual friends from the app, too, as well as the Pages you subscribe to. If you're trying to locate a friend from within a page, Facebook has thought of that too, by equipping the page with search. To top it off, you can subscribe to Pages from the phone, not merely view them passively.

The new built-in Web browser is one feature addition that some may miss at first, but which is ultimately one of the most practical and useful for keeping the Facebook experience on iPhone firmly within the Facebook app. Before this integration, clicking a link would kick you out of the app and open a Safari browser. You would have to restart Facebook to resume your place.

There are more additions besides, but we thought we would start you off with a little taste and some first impressions. To see the full list, visit the Facebook page on iTunes.

So far, this app impresses, but we'll keep you up to date on any quibbles we develop as we spend more time with this it and really get to know both its strong points and its flaws. iPhone and iPod Touch users, what do you think?

How to see version 3.0 in iTunes.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)

Tip: If iTunes is still showing version 2.5 on your desktop, click the "Facebook" breadcrumb on the page's top navigation. Refreshing the Web page won't necessarily do the trick. On the iPhone, delete the Facebook application and download it anew from the App Store on your phone. Even if the app page does not say it's version 3.0, the new version should install.

[jag0]

But will it fix the LAME comment issue where it won't tell you it can't post your message AFTER you write it?

[Ms.Google]

That's why I haven't used in. What the...

[sting7k]

Yes it does.

[Frederikrooms]

I hope this version 3.0 will arrive soon for the android platform! But I doubt that

[thisislovell]

Agreed. I don't know why Facebook hates Google so much (actually, I kinda do), but I wish they would get over it.

[SprSynJn]

I am another one of those Android users that would really appreciate a program like this. I imagine the more customers Android gets, the better the chance it will arrive on the Marketplace.

[thisislovell]

It's not about the amount of people on Android. Facebook sees Google as a direct competitor.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-07/ff_facebookwall?currentPage=all

[indiemixer]

Well you can do most of these things with Babbler, but the UI isn't as pretty.

[indiemixer]

Well most of those features are on Babbler. but the UI is prettier here.

[jdellachiesa]

I agree - Facebook needs to get us an Android app ASAP! I use Facebook everyday, but it is a big pain - especially when you see a beautiful UI like the iPhone version.

[music_happens]

This update makes my life happy :) It fixed all of the problems I was having just earlier today.

[music_happens]

Also, the tip at the bottom of the page about being able to update actually does work.

[jag0]

FYI to get the update on the App Store on my phone I had to shutdown the phone completely then turn it back on for it to see v3.0. Not sure if this was just a coincidence or the only way to force a refresh.

[vohit4rohit]

New interface makes me feel like i have an iPhone installed on my iPhone.

[jumpjetta]

Hahah!

[Flackman]

Finally! I wonder if I can actually see my own wall now?

[Flackman]

Nope! lol

[useful_worms]

ikr? That's pretty much the only feature I wanted.

[jevoliva]

i can see my wall in FB v.3...

[jevoliva]

I can see my wall in the FB v.3 Update...

[stigmattaman]

For the love of god, clear your inbox!!

Looks slick so far, haven't played around too much with it though.

[Ebeale]

Lets have a better app for the BlackBerry.

[alex-cnet]

Really? I like the app for the BlackBerry. It can already do most of what it listed above (except Events, coming soon?), and it doesn't need a "built in browser" because you can have both Facebook and your browser running at once.

[MJSRTW]

New app doesn't recognize your Privacy settings. I posted my first status update from it, and someone commented on it who I have hidden from being able to do that. That HAS to be addressed.

[renuka_cnet]

it isnt working on my iTouch.. i've updated softeware to 3.0 and was told (by facebook) that it would work.. but it doesnt.. :( is it just me? no how do i update my status abt downloading the latest fb.. oh what a catch 22..

It is especially aggravating when you have over 500 friends, but have over 400 removed from your news feed. On the pc i only see posts from the people I want to hear from. In the app, I see everything. Takes forever to filter through it. That is my main issue. I'd also like to remove friends from my "chat" the same way so that when I'm in beejive, I only see those users with whom I'd like to chat as online.

[mortiz10]

how do you add videos? I've been trying to find where and how. I have the 3GS, and cant find where's that option

[troyrig]

I second that question. I keep reading that it's an option, but all I see is a photo icon. And from there, when you try to upload and choose from library, only photos are displayed. I hate having to use a third party app to upload video - C'mon!!!

[cabrillo24]

Pretty good update. I've noticed its also a faster. Only wish there was an option to always start on the facebook "wall" screen vice the last page you were on (I said option) but that's just a small nit picking thing.

[ritchotte]

had to update manually, doesn't show up in the "Updates" tab?

[MaggieRed]

The previous version sucked horribly. I removed it. Doesn't sound like Facebook people have their act together yet still.

[clarksim]

but why is there still no notification of pokes in the notification screen - or am I missing a setting, do you need email notification of pokes turned on (but then I dont want emails everytime somone pokes me)

[BazzBro]

OMG this update is amazing!!! It makes viewing soooo much easier. I never wanna go back to that old version!

[xtianchristian]

I still can't access my "WALL"!!! Facebook hasn't fixed anything, only cosmetic!!! I get "Error- Unable to load wall" ***!!!???

[mikeymikec]

xtianchristian- I had wall problems on the old Facebook app, that I could temporarily resolve by logging out on the app and then logging back in. However, on the old app, my wall and personal info would eventually be reset, and I'd have to repeat this process to see personal information. However, on the new 3.0 app, I did the log out/log in procedure, and have not had any problems with my wall. Try this and see if it works.

[legend2k]

99+ Friend request? 99+ Messages?

[scrubbingbubbles]

why yes it did! woohoo!

[Gavving]

FYI this new App REQUIRES 3.0 on the phone or ipod touch. I hadn't upgraded my iPod touch to 3.0 and the new version won't install on it now. So I guess I'm paying for the upgrade now...