Apple Building Facebook Into Next iPhone OS Update?
While the current Facebook app on the iPhone has certainly been popular, Apple may also be taking notice by integrating some of its features into the next iPhone OS update according to Business Insider, citing a source within the mobile industry. These features could come to fruition during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 7, at which time the iPhone refresh is expected to be unveiled.The source reports that Apple is going to at least build Facebook contact syncing right into the iPhone software, which would then allow the user to pull Facebook contacts right on into your iPhone phonebook. This is a popular feature on other phones, so it certainly makes sense.If you'll recall, Facebook had placed a feature for its app that would sync one's contacts' Facebook photos with your iPhone, which would then allow you to see their Facebook profile photo when they call. One could reason that Apple could make this a part of the next OS, rather than just part of the app.Also on the docket is Apple could even integrate Facebook Connect directly into the SDK, and that would give developers the chance to add in Facebook feature to their apps. Other anticipated possibilities are that Apple could build in some of Facebook's messaging features into the iPhone. This could allow you to send Facebook messages to contacts just like text messages. It would not cost any money, and would deliver messages just as instantly as text, and not even go against your texting allotment! Certainly it's all speculation for right now, but one can't ignore the fact that Apple and Facebook also came together for features within iPhoto and iTunes has also been known to be long-time marketer on Facebook. Facebook also claims that there were 34.2 million "active users" of Facebook's iPhone app within the last month. Crunch the numbers, and that amounts to just a little more than a third of all iPhone OS devices. Go even further and it's about ten percent of Facebook's 400 million users!
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