Facebook might launch iPad app at iPhone 5 event

Social networking giant Facebook may launch its long-awaited app for Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet computer at the launch of Apple’s iPhone 5 on October 4, a tech site reported Tuesday (Manila time). Mashable reported that Facebook is also expected to release a revamped version of its iPhone app and may also introduce an HTML5-based mobile app marketplace. “The relationship between the two technology giants is warming up ... thanks to the shared goal of beating Google — and the simple fact that Facebook and Apple may need each other. The former doesn’t have a mobile platform while Apple doesn’t have a social platform. The culmination of this renewed friendship: the launch of Facebook for iPad at Apple’s iPhone 5 media event," Mashable said. Also at the event, Mashable said its sources expect Facebook to unveil a new version of Facebook for the iPhone, with design and speed improvements that mimic the iPad app. It noted the Facebook iPad app, which leaked earlier this year, has been in limbo at Facebook for the past few months. Former Facebook engineer Jeff Verkoeyen had left the company for Google partially because Facebook has been sitting on the completed app since May, Mashable said. Mashable noted Apple and Facebook had been at odds over various issues during the past two years. It said Facebook pulled the plug on Facebook Connect in Ping because Apple did not give Facebook any warning about the feature, which would have eaten much bandwidth on Facebook’s side. Also, it cited rumors that Facebook was supposed to be integrated into iOS years ago, but disagreements on both sides eventually led to Apple integrating Twitter into iOS 5. On the other hand, Facebook has been working on a project to bring the Facebook Platform to mobile devices. Labeled “Project Spartan" by some, it is designed to be a platform where developers can bring their Facebook apps to mobile devices via an HTML5 platform. “What we’re hearing is that Apple is actually working with Facebook on perfecting the HTML5 platform. This could also launch at Apple’s upcoming iPhone event, though our sources wouldn’t commit to a specific launch date for the platform. Facebook decided not to launch it at f8, as it didn’t want to water down the announcement of the new Facebook Open Graph and Timeline," Mashable said. — TJD, GMA News