Google and Facebook like to route for the same track time and again. This time the two have updated their social networking app together and strangely, both the updates are for iOS. Another similarity is that both of them have an update only for iPhone and iPod touch. iPad is yet again in the waiting list. The improvements would make it easier for those users to share content and posts with others.
Starting with the Facebook update, the new version of iOS is 3.5 has interesting updates such as the friend and location tagging is brought in posts, one can share an external link from a web view, Profile has improved and the designs of Group Walls are there. The sharing tools have even seen an improvement which allows a user to make adjustments to the privacy controls on posts from one’s iPhone.
iPhone users will have now much more web-based privacy enhancements which have been implemented by Facebook in the update. The design changes and iOS user interface makes one feel closer to the desktop version of Facebook. There can be compliments for the overall appearance even of the app now which is way better than its earlier version update. Tagging even is simplified for a user.
Additionally a short summary on the Facebook iOS improvements and bug fixes can be stated as below:
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Improved Notifications speed
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Fixed a number of Chat bugs
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Made it easier to select filters in News Feed
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Fixed a bug with the Notifications bar disappearing
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Fixed a number of Photos bugs
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Improved performance and stability overall
Talking about the Google+ app update, the longish version is 1.0.3.2124. Again, like in the Facebook update, here even the content sharing amongst friends is easier and users would not really face the same troubled problem while re-sharing content and posts with other user on Google+. Lead product manager for Google+ Mobile, Punit Soni came up and explained the resharing process via the updated iOS mobile app. He said, “Simply tap on a post (like you would to +1 it). At the bottom near the comment box, you’ll see a small arrow. Click it and you’ll see the option to ‘Share this post.’ Just choose your audience, add a comment if you like, and hit ‘Post’.” Android users of Google+ might be familiar with this resharing process as this has already been updated for Android last week.
The points where the Google+ update is different from Facebook update is that one can now set their profile photo, create new circles from Circles destination, refresh notifications when returning to the app and offers improved autocomplete in Huddle. Even for the security reasons, Google has added now a two-step verification process as well.
For the iPad users, both these social networking sites have been quiet and no information is being provided as to when would one see a release for the iPad. on Facebook’s part, back in July, there was a discovery of a hidden iPad app which was within the current iPhone app. However, Facebook tried to completely block that extension, but to no avail many people still are able to use the hidden route to Facebook. With this update, the extension is gone and one cannot use it on iPad. It is now only leaving out a confused site for users as to an iPad Facebook app is on its way or they do not intend to come up with an app for iPad.
One can however download the Google+ iOS app update from here and the Facebook iOS app update from here.