Every Facebook App on Google Play
I never noticed how many apps Facebook had in the app store until now. What you see below are my thoughts and experiences with each app and wonder why the app needed to be separate in the first place.
Facebook
The hub for all your social media needs. Posting, arguing, groups,
pages, chat (kind of), liking (not disliking, reactions coming at some point)
Messenger
Exactly as it says. For some reason Facebook decided it needed to be
its own entity and the native Facebook app cannot allow you to chat with your
friends. You get asked to download the app to do so. Then if you want to chat
with someone through the Facebook app, it inconveniently opens up the Messenger
app. Why bother seeing what friends are online in the Facebook app if you can’t
use the Facebook app to chat with them?
Selfied
Exactly as it’s titled. An extension to the Messenger app, you can take
a circular “selfie”, attach an emotion “reaction” that fits your photo’s
purpose, and then send it out to your friends. Other than making the photo a
cropped, circular shape, it doesn’t really take anything away from a full sized
photo.
Strobe
Facebook’s version of a GIF maker. Take a photo and have certain
GIF-like effects to send to your friends. Not sure if something like that could
catch on, honestly. Again, can only be used in conjunction with the Messenger
app. The transition is seamless, but I don’t think it needs to be its own app.
Stickered
Stickers. You’ve seen them before on the Messenger app. This app? Take
a photo and attach one or many of the offered stickers before sending it to
your friends on Messenger. I find that ok I guess. Could’ve been combined as an
extension to something like Strobe, or even Slingshot before its slow and
painful death. Did you know Snapchat has this functionality too? Innovation at
its finest.
Sound Clips
I honestly thought this would be a separate app where you could record
sound clips and send them to your friends via Messenger. BOY WAS DID I
UNDERESTIMATE THAT. Look at all the categories of pre-recorded sound clips you
can choose from! Do you communicate with sound anymore online?
Shout!
Take a series of selfies where you can write captions to make it look
like a meme. I don’t get it. Of course, an extension of the Messenger app.
Slingshot
It’s basically a dead app at this point. This was Facebook’s attempt to
claw into SnapChat’s business. Sorry, SnapChat’s allure of nude photos is way
too enticing compared to your Terms of Service, Facebook. I tried to log in
with my Facebook account and it didn’t work. It appears you have removed it
from its respective app stores. Retool and refocus this one if you want it to
truly make a dent into SnapChat.
Groups
Exactly what it is. Facebook split off groups to make it “easier” for
you to get updates for the groups you’re in. Groups over time I think have kind
of lost its purpose in favor for Pages. It’s only if you were in Groups before
Pages were a thing that it might seem relevant. Though here, it doesn’t have
the Messenger requirement that you need to access your Groups via a separate
app. You can still access groups from the Facebook app. There’s no consistency.
Riff
Making videos with friends. Your friends can add to the video that you
create. The problem is you can’t see what friends have the app as well. Doesn’t
make too much sense to have friends contribute if they can’t find your content.
Can add clips to other videos from people you don’t know. For an app created by
Facebook, I’m surprised I’ve never heard about until I searched the Google Play
Store. Not good marketing and who knows how well the app is truly doing. Not
well enough to be part of its metrics.
Moments
“Get the photos you didn’t take”
Can’t you just text people the photos they took of you? Actually, since
you’re friends with them on Facebook (I would assume, because a stranger taking
your photo is kind of weird), they can add it and just tag you in the photo.
Then you can download the photo for your memories. Seems a little inconvenient
to have a separate app do what your main app can do pretty easily. How do I
know which of my friends have this app as well? If I send them photos, are they
required to download the app and inconvenience themselves as well?
Hello
This one I find to be one of the creepiest ones of all. This app will
sync with the Messenger app, Facebook, and your phone’s contact list. It’s
basically call, text, caller ID all in one. You can block numbers that are
commonly blocked by others as well. People and places can be searched using
this app, which is the Facebook connection part. The creepy part is that you’ll
be able to get information about a phone number, even if it’s not on your
phone! So if someone’s number is public and on Facebook or synced with
Messenger, you’ll get their name in your call history. That’s weird, right? I
could see this being useful if it wasn’t linked to social media.
Work
If your job has a social space, that’s basically what “Work” is.
Connect with your coworkers and the work they’re doing. I’m curious to see if
you have an existing Facebook account, can you integrate it with “Work”. Though
professionally, that might not be a good idea.
Work Chat
I’m running under the assumption that this is the same effect with
Facebook/Messenger. Can’t use Work to chat with your coworkers. Work Chat will
open up instead. Then if you don’t have Work Chat installed, you’ll be asked to
in order to chat with your coworkers. How inconvenient.
Pages Manager
Basically the Facebook app, but for the pages you manage. Why doesn’t
Facebook force you to use this app to manage your pages? You see all your
notifications and chat messages on here as well, but you aren’t force do to use
it.
Facebook Ads
Exactly as it says. Create an ad on the go for your business. Not much
to say about this one since I don’t own a business, but it seems to be its own
separate entity. Not sure if it’s linked to the Pages Manager if you run a
business page on Facebook, however.
F8
Facebook’s developer conference app. That’s it.
So would you use any of these apps if it meant that you had to open up another one just to send a circular selfie or a sound clip to your friends on Messenger? Would you be willing to try a 24 hour photo sharing app made by Facebook if Snapchat didn't beat them to the punch? I certainly wouldn't. What an inconvenience.
So would you use any of these apps if it meant that you had to open up another one just to send a circular selfie or a sound clip to your friends on Messenger? Would you be willing to try a 24 hour photo sharing app made by Facebook if Snapchat didn't beat them to the punch? I certainly wouldn't. What an inconvenience.